


The Shifting Season

by mrs_squirrel_chester



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dean Winchester / Original Female Character - Freeform, F/M, Family, Female Friendship, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Male-Female Friendship, Sam Winchester / Sarah Blake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-03
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 04:55:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3475217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrs_squirrel_chester/pseuds/mrs_squirrel_chester
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>6 months after Love & Death, Sam and Dean go on a hunting trip; a shape shifter. It's not just any shifter; this one is faster, stronger, smarter and more cunning than ever. Are Serenity and Sarah really safer with the Winchesters gone? OFC/Dean, Sam/Sarah Blake Rated T for language and some violence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Shifting Season

Green eyes full of fire glare at me from across the kitchen table. "You're not coming with."

The anger and frustration my inner child had been stamping down erupts and my cheeks flush. "Who are you to tell me I can't go?"

"Remember the last time you wanted to help? You shot yourself in the back."

My pulse quickens even more as my fingers dive through my loose hair. "God, that was like, six months ago! Are you ever going to let that go?"

Dean slaps his hands against the lap top, closing it harder than necessary, and pushes up from the oak table. "No! It was stupid."

"Are we REALLY going to argue about what happened with Crowley? NOW?! There was nothing else I could do!"

"This isn't up for discussion, Ren. Sam and I are going to Colorado, tonight."

"You're being ridiculous. I can handle a shapeshifter." I stand across from him, hands resting on my hips and a defiant spark in my eyes.

"Don't be so sure about that." He tucks the computer under his arm and all but storms out of the room.

I watch, mouth agape, as he steps into his hiking boots and practically throws the screen door off its hinges; muttering under his breath as he goes.

My hands slip off their perch and ball into fists. I stamp a foot, letting my inner child take control for a moment before I toss my head back and scream in pure frustration. _Who the HELL does he think he is, ordering me to stay home like that?_

There's a few moments of utter silence in the room before a soft noise grabs my attention. Sarah is standing in the doorway, freshly washed long, black hair hangs over her shoulder, and a towel is in her hands. "Is everything ok?"

I'm still seething, but the presence of someone new tones it down a bit. "NO! Dean's just acting like his usual overprotective self."

"The shape shifter?" There's something in her voice that tells me she's not happy about the hunt either.

I force my lungs full of air before blowing it out harshly. "He's convinced that I'll get hurt."

She finishes working the towel through her damp hair before coming to stand next to me, vanilla and lilac filter the air around us. "He still holding the deal with Crowley over your head?"

My eyes just about roll out of my head and onto the table below. "It's been six months, Sarah. I'm completely healed and he's acting like it happened last week."

She bumps my shoulder with hers. "Can you really blame him? You did die once and came close to doing it again."

"It was the only way to get Crowley to stop."

A flash of doubt briefly flashes across her features. "I thought you knew the exorcism."

Ok, so she has a point, I do know the exorcism. "I didn't want to expel him, I wanted to teach the bastard a lesson."

Her lips pull into a smile before a laugh fills the room. "You two are made for each other!"

The last bit of anger falls away and I'm soon joining her. I pull her into a hug, her damp hair sticking to my bare forearms. "Thank you for talking me down. This is all so new to me that I don't know how to handle situations like this."

She returns the hug before pulling back to look at me with her large brown eyes. "The two of us should form a club or something."

I turn and start rummaging in the fridge, it's almost lunch and even though he's probably more pissed than a bull, Dean isn't one to turn down a meal. Sarah helps prepare corn on the cob while I get chicken thighs and breasts trimmed, seasoned, and ready for the grill. There's sliced potatoes with onions drenched in butter and wrapped in tinfoil that will join the chicken.

The smell of cooking meat pulls the two grown men from the office in the stables; laptop and multiple files are left in the front room. Sam and Dean help with setting the table, I haven't been letting them eat unless they help with something. Lemonade is poured into tall glasses for Sarah and I while the brothers crack open a longneck.

Sarah and Sam make up most of the conversation. She shows some hesitancy about the hunt, not that it's her first time at the rodeo or anything. Being in love with a hunter has its drawbacks, sewing up gaping wounds was just the tip of the iceberg.

Sarah had quit her job shortly after visiting the first time and moved into the house, at my insistence more than Sam's. I had gotten quite accustomed to having a house full of people late last year that I was almost scared of being alone again. I got her a job at the pathology lab as my assistant, my office was just atrocious. Whenever the boys weren't out on a hunt and she wasn't working, all her free time was spent with Sam; either locked behind closed doors or out for a stroll.

"Have you heard from Bobby?"

Sam's voice interrupts my thoughts. "Not in a few days. He said that Garth was stopping by or something." I catch Dean as he rolls his eyes and shovels a forkful of potatoes in his mouth. "You stop it, Garth is sweet. He means well."

"Doesn't mean he knows what he's doing."

It's my turn to roll my eyes as a fresh wave of anger rolls through me. I excuse myself from the table and head out the back screen door, my legs moving on their own accord. I need some space or I'm going to say or do something I'll regret. I find myself at the place where my iron perimeter had been demolished. We ended up having to rip up the whole thing and start from scratch, the dirt was still fresh.

I lean down when I notice massive paw prints in the black dirt. I spread my hand out over the inch deep imprint and can't help but chuckle, Mithra is still around. I haven't seen her since Alistair killed me last year but I knew she has been coming around, I could feel her presence. I don't know how, but I knew she was out here every night since I kicked Crowley out of my home and off my property; I just wish I could see her. Maybe after the boys leave tonight.

A breeze moves through the trees and pushes my hair behind me, drowning out the heavy footsteps of Dean. My heart jumps into my throat as I turn around and almost slam into his chest. "Damn it, Dean!"

A chuckle bubbles out. "I'm sorry."

I slap my hand against his chest. "No you're not."

He inclines his head and the sun hits his eyes just right. There's a sparkle that sends a shiver down my spine. His voice is no longer playful. "Yes, I am."

I cross my arms under my chest and feel my jaw work. "I'm probably going to sound like a child, but why can't I come with?"

"You're right, you do sound like a child."

"You didn't answer my question."

"You remember when I told you about the last time Sam and I ran into a shape shifter?"

"Yeah, you ended up at a bank and the FBI got called in… Hendrickson right?"

"Right. From what Sam and I can tell, this shifter is a lot worse. It's extremely smart, calculating, and fast. Any other ones we've hunted before have been caught on camera, eye flares and the like. But this one seems different."

A different kind of shiver moves along my skin. "How different?"

He gives a slight shake of his head as his hands work into his pockets. He starts to walk past me, along the perimeter, and I'm quick to catch up after a moment of confusion. "Well there haven't been any eye flares on the video footage from an ATM, not that we could see. There was just this…. blur as it streaked past. One family member said that it impersonated him for a week before anything seemed suspicious. The ones we hunted before needed to change skin every 12 hours."

"And you want to go over there without any backup?"

A soft sigh escapes as his shoulder pops up. "If we do have backup, I don't want it to be you or Sarah."

I give an offended huff and stop walking. "And why not? You don't know half of the things I've gone up against."

He turns to stand in front of me, close enough to touch and his features are soft. "You think I would be able to work, let alone think if you were there? I love you dearly, but I can't think straight when you're around. It's not that I don't trust you or your hunting abilities, I just can't risk losing you, again."

My heart skips a beat at his words. "You won't."

"You don't know that. I would feel so much better knowing that you're here, out of harm’s way."

"Well, Mithra has been guarding the perimeter at night."

His left eyebrow shoots up. "What?"

I nod over to the perimeter and watch as his gaze travels down to the paw prints in the dirt. "Guarding? Are you sure?"

"You saw how she acted when I died, Dean. She's not here to harm anyone."

"How do you know?"

It's my turn to shrug. "I don't know how I know, I just do. Gut feeling I guess."

"Just don't go looking for trouble or anything with her."

"Dean-"

"Promise me. She's still under Crowley's control for all we know."

He does have a point, but deep down I get the feeling that she's broken all ties with her master. "Only if you promise to come back to me with all your limbs."

He runs a thumb along my jawline before grabbing my chin. I watch as his eyes change from a soft playful green to emerald, his lips hover just above mine as he whispers two words. "I promise."

His lips are on mine in a heartbeat. The kiss pushes away all unease I have about this hunt, until we break for some much needed air and then all the feelings come flooding back.

Dean said that this shifter was different. Stronger, faster and smarter, and it scared the crap out of me.

* * *

 

Sarah and I wave until we can no longer see the tail lights of the Impala. Her hand grabs mine and there's sweat on her palm. "Tell me they'll be ok, Ren."

I swallow at the large lump in my throat as unease sneaks along my spine. "They'll be ok. They have to be."


	2. Odd Behavior

Sam watches in the passenger side mirror until the house and Sarah disappear from sight. "You wanna tell me again why the girls can't come with?" The brothers had just gotten back two days before from a routine ghost hunt in New York and Sam missed Sarah.

Turning onto the main road out of Grand Rapids, Dean groans in frustration, "we talked about this Sam, it's not safe for them."

"I just miss her." It’s hard not to sound like a petulant child.

"I know you do, Sammy. I miss Ren, too."

Headlights stream through the car, highlighting his brother’s face, “what's going on with you?"

"Nothing."

"That's a crap answer."

Dean turns his gaze from the asphalt onto his younger brother. "Nothing is going on."

He shifts almost uncomfortably in his seat under the steely gaze of his older brother. Oddly, the car doesn't drift out of the right hand lane. "It just seems like there's more to this than just wanting to protect her, that's all."

Dean, turning his attention back to the road, shakes his head, "you know me, I don't like to talk about things like this."

"So what are we going to do for the next 18 hours?"

Without looking, Dean reaches for the radio and turns the volume up. Led Zeppelin fills the ½ empty car. "You can sleep if you want."

Sam knew better than to push it with his brother. Something was bothering Dean, that he could tell, but he couldn't read his mind.

Dean has changed so much over the last year and a half that Sam had often found it hard to recognize his brother; serving a year in purgatory will do that to a man. Sam didn't have the letters PhD or MD after his name, but he knew the signs of post-traumatic stress better than almost any licensed physician.

If he's being honest, Sam had been concerned for his brothers well-being since Castiel pulled him out of Hell. In normal time, Dean was dead for four months. In Hell, time runs different. 40 years passed before Dean was saved. Most of those years were spent hanging on a rack and getting dismembered day after day after week after month after year. It was more than enough to break anyone, but Dean stuck it out much longer than your normal human. He finally accepted Alistair's offer to be removed from the rack only if he were to start torturing.

Ice fills Sam's veins when he remembers hearing his older brother say that he enjoyed it and how good he was at it.

At some point, Dean started humming along with the classic rock songs the late night DJ was playing and it helps pull Sam into a sleep with dreams full of Sarah.

Dean watches Sam out of the corner of his eye until he falls asleep, his breathing grows labored and deep with a snore, filling the car.

He thinks about everything that has happened over the last year and a half. Being pulled out purgatory, dealing with the after effects, getting called out to Minnesota and meeting Serenity; that was unexpected. The last thing he ever had on his mind was falling in love and possibly having kids.

A smile tugs at his lips before he risks a glance at his still sleeping brother and wonders how it's going back at the house.

* * *

 

Being the first to retreat into the house, Sarah cleans up the kitchen from dinner while Serenity mucks out horse stalls.

Sarah has enjoyed staying here with everyone even though there are days when the memory of her husband creep up on her. Its times like those that she wants to curl into a ball and cry uncontrollably. However, those days were growing farther apart.

The unbelievable kindness Serenity has shown her over the past several months has been amazing. To invite a stranger into your house all because your boyfriend's brother happens to be in love with that person, Sarah could never do that.

With the dishes washed and put away, Sarah tucks herself onto a couch with a book and lets her imagination run wild as the words jump off the page. When the descriptive words of Jane Austen wash over her, she can't help but wonder what it would be like for her and her partner, living in a time of innocence, without all the technological hassles of today. The beauty and peace of it causes Sarah to sigh with a sadness she wasn't expecting.

* * *

 

Most people that own horses or a farm will tell you that mucking out the stalls is probably one of the worst jobs you can do. Me? I don't mind it. It actually gives me time to think and the company is lovely. I don't own a lot of horses, three female quarter horses and one male Arabian currently occupy the stalls.

There's Beauty, she is almost 10 years old and her black coat is darker than the darkest night. Mara is 6 years old, a white coat with grey spots that look almost like clouds and then there's the baby; Spencer. He 2 years old, a deep, chocolate brown coat with a cream marking around each eye.

The Arabian is the newest of the bunch, I bought him early last year. He's 5 and his black coat rivals Beauty's. The thing that sets him apart from my oldest is his mane and tale. The exact opposite of his coat, they are white as the purest snow.

There’s a sudden change in the air, and the horses start making noises as if there's a predator close by. My hands itch as I fight the urge to grab the blade at my back. The stables are empty, save for me and the horses. The hair on the back of my neck stands at attention as I move through the building, giving the horses a pat on their noses, and a few extra carrots in their feed.

The moon is large and bright, bathing me in her light as I step onto the dirt. Even though the iron perimeter is 100 yards out, I can see a large creature moving lazily, but at attention, along the line; Mithra.

I’m excited to see her, so I take off running, stopping as I'm about to step over the dirt covered, protective circle. Large, copper eyes get even wider when I stop. She huffs in surprise, blowing loose strands of hair off my face.

"I'm happy to see you, too." With a slightly shaking hand, I reach out to the massive creature, and to my surprise, she ducks her head down so I can reach. My fingers find their way to her ears and I give a hard scratch. A soft whine fills the air around us when her eyes flutter closed.

Dean’s words scream their way through my mind, but I slam the door shut and step over the line, closer to the beast that seems to be my protector. "You won't hurt me, will you?"

Her massive eyes flick open and she shakes her head. I glance over my shoulder, sighing thankfully when I don't see Sarah in the kitchen. She means well, but she would probably tell Sam or Dean about what I was doing.

A sudden weight pressing into my stomach grabs my attention. I struggle to stifle a giggle when I find out why; Mithra has her nose in my mid-section.

"You're just a big teddy bear aren't you?" Both hands dive into her thick fur, scratching and massaging as they work their way along her head, under her jaw, and along her neck.

If I thought she was this mean, killing machine, I was quickly proven wrong.

She rolls onto her back with a thud that echoes through the trees and I can't contain the laughter any longer. I don't deny her the pleasure of a tummy rub.

After a while, she rolls onto her side and looks hard at me as if trying to tell me something.

"Have you been out here every night?" _  
_

_Yes._

"Did you leave Crowley?" _  
_

_Yes._

_Just like I thought._ "You plan on staying?" 

_Yes_.

“Well good, we could use all the extra help we can get."

I give her a hard pat on the head as I cross back over, jumping in surprise when I feel her hot tongue on the palm of my hand. "If I could, I would let you come closer to the house. Dean doesn't even want me out this far."

At the mention of his name, the beast gives a guttural growl, confusing me. "What? You don't like Dean?"

Her eyes squint in the darkness as she swipes a paw at the ground. A deeper growl, full of pain, explodes out of her.

I cover my ears against the sudden noise and inadvertantly step away from her. She won't hurt me, I know that, but I can't stop the fear eating at my stomach.

Her eyes dart from me to the house and back again, the fur on her back stands at attention, and her pacing becomes almost frantic.

"I wish I knew what you were trying to tell me."

She continues her pacing as I turn away, walking back up to the house.

Sarah is standing in the doorway, looking past me at Mithra, "is that the Hell beast you guys were talking about?"

"Yeah. Mithra has been guarding the perimeter since we burned the herb."

"Sam made it sound like she's bound to you or something."

Reaching into the fridge for a bottle of beer, I shrug. The cap is tossed into the garbage before I drain the bottle, using the alcohol to sooth my nerves. "I don't know what's going on."

I take notice of the book in her hands, Pride and Prejudice. "It's been awhile since I've read that one, you read it before?"

"A long time ago, in school, it's such a beautiful book."

I nod, not really hearing her, feeling like I'm on auto-pilot.

She stands in the room for a few heartbeats more before saying goodnight and heading up the stairs to the room she shares with Sam.

The empty bottle gets tossed into the recycling before I lock up the house and head up to bed myself.

Mithra's behavior bothers me and I hate that I don’t know the reason for it. I lay in bed for a few hours while my brain rambles on, trying to grasp at whatever is tugging at the back of my mind. I have a hard time falling asleep without Dean to keep me company, but just after midnight, sleep finally takes hold.

* * *

 

Dean calls every couple days, just to check in. The conversations are brief and he sounds exhausted, this shifter is giving them a run for their money.

Sarah and I work during the day and cook dinner for two at night. We spend an hour on the porch, watching the sun set, and then I'm off to clean out the stables before it gets too dark. Dusk falls and as it does, Mithra appears out of nowhere in the same spot we had 'talked' before. Part of me wants to run down there and give her another scratch behind the ears, but her behavior really put me on edge.

Sensing me, her eyes lock onto mine, her howl echoes through the property.

It's 85 degrees out and I can't stop shivering. With arms wrapped around myself, I head up to bed.

* * *

 

By the tenth day, I start to get a bit nervous, Dean hasn't called since Friday and it's now Monday; neither has Sam for that matter. I take my cell phone outside and press connect, the phone rings a handful of times before a deep voice greets me.

"Evenin'."

"Hey, Bobby."

"Ren, it's been a while. How ya doing?"

"I'm ok, I guess."

"What's eating at you?"

"You know the boys went out to Colorado last week, right?"

"Shifter case, yeah."

"Have you heard from either of them in the last couple days?"

"Sam called a few days ago, yeah."

"So did Dean, but I haven't heard anything since then."

"And you're worried, right? Don't be, girl, these boys can handle anything."

"I know they can, but... something's not right."

"Care to elaborate?"

"I'm not sure I can."

"Alright, I'll put out a few calls, maybe Garth's heard from 'em. If I hear anything, you'll be my first phone call, ok?"

"I appreciate it old man."

His chuckle brings a smile to my face, "I ain't that old."

"Keep telling yourself that. Love you."

"You, too."

Bobby's reassurance does nothing to stop the rapid beating of my heart or the long fingers of fear starting to wrap around my heart.

* * *

 

Another five days pass and I don't hear anything from Bobby, Garth, Dean, **or** Sam, and I feel like I'm going to lose my mind. Just when I'm about to place a call to my friend at the police station, I hear a very familiar rumble.

I run out of the stables just in time to see the Impala pull to a stop. She's beat up pretty good and I hiss in response to seeing her battered condition.

Sam all but falls out of the passenger side. His right arm is in a sling and the same side of his face is a sea of black, blue, and purple. He limps into the house after waving at me.

Dean lumbers out from the driver side holding his left arm close to his stomach and a pinched look of pain on his face.

I run up to him, throw my arms around his neck, and breathe him in. Sweat mixed with gunpowder, blood, and dirt fills my nose. "I missed you."

Dean, stiff in my arms, grunts in as my body hits his. He reaches around almost awkwardly with his good arm and snuggles his face into my hair. "Me, too."

"You didn't call!"

"Things got a little hairy, as you can see." He tips his head back towards Baby, and I cringe.

"At least tell me you got the shifter."

Exhaustion is written all over his face, coating his words, "I wish I could."

My heart skips a beat. I know how hard it is for him not to catch whatever it is they're after. "Let's get you inside and cleaned up. There are leftovers in the fridge if you're hungry."

He nods with resignation and moves to grab his gear.

I slap his hand away playfully, pulling both his and Sam's bags into my arms. Just as I close the front door behind me, Mithra gives a long and low howl much like the previous nights, and goose bumps spread like wildfire along my skin.

Even though there’s something screaming in the back of my mind, I won’t go and visit Mithra. I close the front door and focus on the fact that Dean and Sam are home… for now.


	3. Nothing is What it Appears to be

Serenity heats up leftover maple meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cooked carrots. While it tasted good, it didn't sit well in Dean's stomach and he had to excuse himself, leaving Serenity to put it away.

He kicks his shoes off at the front door before padding noiselessly up the stairs, right hand pressed against his injured shoulder.

The water in the shower is borderline scalding hot and feels amazing on his sore muscles. Dirt and blood mingle in the water before tumbling down the drain at his feet. He stays under the stream of water until it goes cold.

After drying off, he pulls on a pair of black boxer briefs and lumbers towards the bed where Serenity is waiting for him with a smile on her face.

"Feel any better," she asks with arousal thick on her tongue.

Biting his bottom lip, he climbs into bed. Pain roars through his left arm and he falls onto the mattress. "I was."

Her small fingers play over the swirl of colors from his collarbone down to mid-bicep."What happened?"

"We were chasing the shifter, driving through an alley, and he came flying out of an adjoining side street, crashed into the Impala. Even though it knocked us both out, Sam took the brunt of the hit. It must have thought Sam was dead because the next thing I know, it's pulling me out the window by my arm. Popped it clean out of the socket."

Serenity hisses in empathy. "How'd you get away?"

"It was leaning over me, had my gun aimed at my forehead when Sam woke up. He pulled the sawed off shotgun out from under the seat and shot it in the back; it took off screaming. We got ourselves patched up and looked for another day before coming back."

"Are you going to head back out?"

Dean thought about shrugging, but the pain still radiating in his arm was enough to make him stop. "I don't know. Gotta see how Sam feels."

"You're not going back out until you're both 100%."

He forces a smile as he settles onto his right side, the pillow forming perfectly to his head. "I knew you were going to say that."

She rests her hand on his face before leaning down to kiss him. He can tell she wants more, but he's exhausted and can feel sleep starting to eat at him.

Her breath is hot against his face when she speaks, "I'm glad you made it home to me. I love you." She turns around so her back is pressed against his chest and he can smell her shampoo on her hair.

* * *

 

Dean wakes up a few hours later with a stiff neck and his shoulder screaming. He manages to disentangle himself from Serenity without waking her and stands stiffly from the bed. Pulling on a pair of black pajama pants and grey t-shirt, he quietly leaves the bedroom and knocks softly on the door of his brother three times.

Sam answers the door with tousled hair and a shirt hanging in his hands.

Giving a sheet clad Sarah a nod, he turns his gaze to his gaze to his younger brother. "You ready?"

After after pulling his shirt over his head, Sam nods, and tosses a wink over his shoulder. "Let's get this done."

Both brothers limp down the stairs and out to the beat up Impala, popping open the trunk to reveal a cloth wrapped body; still unconscious.

The brothers sneer as they move awkwardly to lift and shuffle out to a hidden bunker that had been built at the same time as the house. Dean remembered seeing it on the blueprints last year and thought it would make a great hiding spot.

Since the room is underground, it’s dark and the smell of dirt is obnoxious. The brothers get the form against a beam and tie the arms behind the thick wood with some leftover rope.

Sam grunts as he stretches his back. "This one is much heavier than the other two."

Satisfied with the strength of the knot, Dean wipes dirty hands against the front of his shirt. "Well, he's much taller."

Sam reaches up to pull the string on the lone light bulb, blinking rapidly as it casts a dull light around the 10 x 12 room.

Two more bodies are tied up to posts with gags in their mouths to muffle their screams, should they feel the need to try. The others are passed out, chins against chests while their shoulders are pulled taut against the strain.

With the light extinguished, Dean and Sam place a large rock over the door before heading back to the house.

Sam nods towards the window of Serenity's room, “what about her?"

"In time Sammy."

"Don't call me that."

He can't help but chuckle at his younger brother, "I like it."

"I don't."

"Whatever."

* * *

 

Detective Ian McShane looks at the file on his desk. Colored pictures are lined up in a row and he has to swallow hard at the bile rising in his throat.

Over the past week, three bodies showed up having been ripped and torn apart. The local pathologist, his dear friend Serenity Hatfield, had listed the cause of death as a bear attack. Not that he doesn't trust her, but something had been chewing at him since the first body, well part of a body, showed up.

Now another file has been handed to him by his boss and there is a picture of a suspect caught on the security camera from the small gas station on 5th and Florence. Although the picture is from a low grade camera and is quite pixelated, Ian recognizes the person of interest immediately and his heart sinks.

"Mac, everything ok?"

Ian feels all color drain out of his face and he slaps the folder closed. He looks up across the desk to his partner, Grant Drake. "I'm not sure."

"What'd you get?"

"You remember those bear attacks?"

There's an unreadable emotion that crosses Grants face, "yeah, how could I forget?"

"Boss is saying they're not bears."

"What? No way."

Ian spreads his large hand over the file just handed to him, "there are pictures of a suspect from the gas station."

"So... let's go get this guy."

"It's not that simple, man."

"Why not? It's our job. People get killed, we get the bad guy."

"Things aren't always black and white."

"We're cops, Ian, everything is black and white."

Ian's eyes flick down to the manila folder and every possible emotion runs rampant through his system. "I'm not so sure about that this time."

"It's someone you know isn't it?"

"In this small of a town, it's always going to be someone we know.” He hands the file to his partner and watches as Grant opens the folder, reading the accompanying papers.

Recognition hits him like a boulder, "holy shit."

"My thoughts exactly."

"How do you want to handle this? I know you're good friends."

"I was going to drive out there and ask her to come in on her own recognizance."

Grant arches his eyebrow, “you think that will happen?"

"She's a good person, Grant, I think she'll come with me."

"You want back up?"

"No thanks, I'll do this on my own."

Grant watches as Ian fishes the car keys from the desk drawer and heads out of the station. His eyes fall back to the clearest picture of the three, although all of them are pretty blurry. The one thing that stands out is the suspect's hair color; brilliant and blaze red.

There's only one person in town with that hair color and she is the pathologist on their cases.

* * *

 

I run a soapy brush over the side of Beauty while Dean and Sam are working on Baby. Sarah is sitting on the porch reading another Jane Austen book. It's a sunny Saturday and the weather is perfect.

The sound of gravel crunching under tires reaches my ears and I watch a familiar unmarked squad car pull up. I quickly rinse the soap off my horse before drying my hands on the towel, greeting the oncoming car with a wave and a smile.

Ian steps out of the car slowly and he doesn't look very happy, "Serenity."

Sarah has pulled herself off the swinging chair while the boys are standing at attention behind the Impala.

"Ian, it's good to see you."

Behind his aviator sunglasses, I can see his eyes move from Sarah to Sam to Dean before finally resting on mine. "This isn't a social visit."

The seriousness in his voice roots me to the ground. "I gather as much. Do we have another body? You could have just called."

"There isn't another body that we know about." There's a look of something that resembles disgust washing over his face as he speaks.

"What is this about?"

"Listen, I need you to come down to the station with me."

My heart leaps into my throat, almost strangling the words, “wait, what?"

"Something has come to our attention and I - we need to speak with you."

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to be questioned?"

"Can you please just get in the car?"

I look at Dean and there's this look of rage I haven't seen before as his eyes move quickly from me to Sarah and back again.

My mind reels as I nod and even though he spares the handcuffs, I feel like a criminal. I turn and watch Dean, Sam, Sarah, and my house disappear behind us, and the darkness of fear starts to swallow me whole.

* * *

 

Dean storms over to Sarah and has her arm in his iron grip hard enough that she lets out a small scream. "What did you do?!"

Her brown eyes are wide with surprise and fear as she tries pulling her arm out. "N- nothing."

"Don't you dare lie to me. You obviously did something. Why else would a cop show up?"

Sam is behind Dean, ready to intervene if this were to turn violent.

The men can smell the fear that flows off Sarah. She stops struggling against the hand embedded in her soft skin, "I got hungry."

Dean all but throws her away from him as he releases his grip. "Damn it woman! You were supposed to lay low, keep an eye on things while we were away. Not go on a hunt."

"You guys were gone for a lot longer than we planned for!"

"I don't CARE!" The rage in his features is enough to send Sarah and Sam back a few more steps.

Sam wraps his long arms around the now crying woman and meets the gaze of his older brother. "Back off, man."

Dean points his finger at the two of them and disdain coats his words, "if she screws this up for us, she's gone! You hear me?"

Sam nods before turning his head and places a kiss on the top of her head. "We got it."

Dean groans as he steps off the porch and over to the black car that was damaged while he and his brother were trying to outrun the tall hunter.

Just when he thought things were looking up for them, his brother's stupid girlfriend had to throw a wrench into the plan.

" **BITCH!** " Still enraged, Dean smashes the trunk of the Impala with a crowbar.

There was still one more that was going to be joining them and now this? Anger flows off him in waves as he continues to tear apart the car, trying to come up with a plan that didn't involve killing anyone. Although he really wanted to feel the life of someone slip away.


	4. Answers to a Few Questions

Pictures of torn and bloody body parts are spread out in front of me, but that's not what is making me want to throw up. I'm a pathologist, I cut up people for a living **and** I'm a hunter. I've killed things that would haunt your dreams for the rest of your life. I'm used to seeing blood and guts and missing limbs.

Bile started creeping up my throat when Ian slid a security camera photo across the table. A woman looking to be in her late 20's to early 30's was running across the gas station parking lot. Nothing out of the ordinary except for the long, blaze red hair that followed her on the breeze.

"I – I don't know what to tell you, Ian, but that's not me."

Ian is angry and his body language shows it, "Ren, I want to believe you, I do. But you're the ONLY person in town with hair like this." His finger taps against the picture and it echoes in my head.

Sweat starts to form on my brow and the palm of my hands. "It can't be me."

"I think it can be."

"Ian, you've known me for a few years, you really think I'm capable of this," It's my turn to slide a picture across the table as I ask the question

He doesn't even look at it, "I know you're capable of something like this."

I tear my eyes away from his and stare hard at the two way mirror behind my friend. "What other evidence do you have against me?"

"We have an eye witness at the gas station. An attendant had just cashed out the till and was locking up when she saw someone run past the window."

My head bobs slowly as that information sinks in, "fingerprints? Clearer pictures? Motive?"

Ian crosses his arms against his chest, "those weren't the only cameras that got a picture. We're working on getting a warrant for those."

"I didn't do this, Ian. I was at home all three nights there was an attack."

"You have someone that can corroborate?"

"Sarah was with me until we went to bed."

"What about after? The attacks were after midnight."

"I slept alone, all night."

"So you're still claiming it was a bear?"

I don't know why, but something in my brain starts to gnaw at me. "Let me see the pictures again, please."

Ian looks at me for a few moments before sliding the pictures over.

I stare hard at them, looking at every cut and bite mark, and that's when I realize that I had been wrong this whole time. "Ian, you know my family's history, all we have done, and what I was before a pathologist."

"What does your family have to do with this?"

"What is the one thing that can take on your form and is a savage killer?" I pick up a particularly bloody picture, holding it up for him to look at.

He shakes his head almost violently, "no, no. That is not happening in my town."

"Really, Ian? What happened last year, huh? Or are you pretending none of that happened either?"

"This has nothing to do with last year!"

"I'm not saying they go together, but you have to understand that I am not the one going around and slaughtering innocent people. It's a shape shifter. Why are you so resistant to it?"

"We have never had anything…. strange like this happen here."

"Ian, every town in every state has had something strange like this happen. They just don't go advertising it on the news."

The pictures are getting stuffed back into the manila folder as Ian stands, his back and shoulders almost too rigid. He turns around and taps on the glass, "I'm sorry Serenity, but you're our best lead."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

An officer in rookie blues enters the room holding a pair of silver handcuffs. "Serenity Hatfield, you are under arrest for the suspicion of murder. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at the cost of the state. Do you understand these rights?"

Anger blossoms in my chest. I glare hard at Ian as the cool metal surrounds my wrists. "I understand everything perfectly."

* * *

 

I'm fingerprinted, my pictures are taken with my name and a serial number below it, my information is entered into the system, I'm thoroughly searched before certain items are taken, and I'm put into a holding cell with a phone on the wall. I am told I get only one phone call. Even though one would think that Dean would be on the receiving end, I go with my gut and dial a secret number known to only a few trusted people.

A much younger male answers the phone. "Special Agent Marley's office, how can I help you?"

"I need to speak with Marley."

"I'm sorry, he's out in the field today."

"Garth, just give him the fucking phone."

A moment of hesitation fills the line, "who is this?"

"It's Serenity. He there?"

"Just a sec. Hey, Bobby, it's for you."

"Tell 'em I'm out!"

"You're gonna wanna take it."

There's some background noises and fabric rubbing against the receiver before he speaks into the phone, "Marley speaking."

"It's Ren."

He knows I wouldn't call this line unless I was in serious trouble, "what happened?"

"I'm in jail."

"Balls. Where are the boys?"

"At the house with Sarah."

He blows out the air in his lungs before relaying something to Garth. "What're they pinning on you?"

"Several bodies over the last week that I said were bear attacks."

"And they ain't?"

"I think we got a shifter in town."

"Isn't your buddy a cop?"

I chuckle wryly before answering, "he's the one that brought me in for questioning. Apparently, 'I' was caught on camera fleeing the scene of the attacks."

"What about the boys?"

There's a knot in my stomach the size of a grapefruit and I swallow hard, "I – I don't know."

"You think they ain't them."

"I didn't until now. I don't know Bobby, I'm scared."

"Don't be, darlin’. Garth and I are on our way. You hang tight, ok?"

"It's not like I can leave."

I hang the phone in its cradle, curl into a ball on the small cot, and bury my face in the musty smelling pillow. The tears, although expected, are a surprise to me and I bite down on the thin material to keep from sobbing out loud.

I am a hunter, one would think I’m used to these kind of situations, but I had made a life for myself outside of that world and this… this might just break me.

* * *

 

Sore muscles start screaming in protest in his shoulders and around his neck as Dean pulls himself out of the deep sleep. A groan spills out and is muffled against the thick material in his mouth. Instinct takes over and he struggles against his restraints, yelping in pain at his dislocated shoulder. He blinks furiously in the darkness, relieved to see that there is some sun filtering through the door. As soon as they adjust to their surroundings, his eyes move around the room.

Sarah is gagged and bound to his right, her eyes wide and full of fear, her breathing rough and ragged.

There's another beam to his left but Dean has a hard time turning his head that direction. What he can see is a head full of long brown hair that's hanging down and away from the support at his back.

Moving as best he can considering his legs have long since fallen asleep, Dean stretches his long legs out in front of him, surprised that his feet reach the beam. He gives it a few good kicks before the person attached to it starts to stir. It takes a few more kicks until eyes are suddenly wide and scanning the room.

Sam looks hard at Sarah and finally at his older brother. A gag in his mouth inhibits his ability to speak. The three people move at odd angles to get their mouths down to their shoulders and work at getting the gags out. Whoever tied them sure did a good job at pulling them back far enough that skin started to split and bleed.

Dean, having been down there the longest, gets his removed first and gives a cry laced with pain. "You two ok?"

Sarah manages to get hers out next and works at getting some sort of moisture in her mouth. Her voice soft and raspy, "just a bump on the head that I can tell, you?" Her brown eyes move over to Sam.

"I'm not sure. Dean, what happened?"

"We had just wrapped up that ghost in New York. You decided to stay in and call Sarah, so I went out to that bar. A guy started to cause trouble. I tried talking 'em down and we ended up outside. Next thing I know, I'm waking up here with my shoulder popped out, and two people tying Sarah up."

"But you and I drove back from New York."

"Shifter, Sammy. The guy at the bar was a shifter. Anything that you've done with 'me', has been a shifter. How'd you get dragged down here?"

"We went out to Colorado, it looked like shifters were killing a bunch of tourists. We had gotten separated searching an abandoned warehouse. When I came back to the front, I watched as 'you' talked with someone about a plan and how it was time to come out of hiding, bring the family back together. It changed in front of me, changed _into_ me, so I started shooting. I ran out of the building and stole the first car I could. They were chasing me in yours. I'm sorry, Dean, but... I crashed into her."

Dean swallows hard, working his jaw against the anger bubbling in his chest. "You had to."

"It was just into the passenger side. 'We' were unconscious so I pulled it out of the driver side and was about to put a bullet in it when the other one shot me with rock salt rounds you have under the seat. That's the last thing I remember."

Dean growls in frustration. He's pissed off, more at himself than anything else. If he had just been on his guard more.

"Wait, how are they able to hold their skin for so long? Don't they shed every 12 hours or something?"

"That was something that stood out before 'we' went to Colorado. It was something 'you' had discovered. One of the family members of the dead said that it was a week or so before anything suspicious happened. I had thought that maybe as long as the original is still alive, they can hold their form. It's just a thought though."

"It's a good thought. I wish we could do some research on it though. How you holding up Sarah?"

She moves her wrists against the tight ropes, trying to get some blood flowing to her fingers again. "Other than a massive headache that 'you' gave me, I'm ok."

"How'd they get you?"

"Sam had gone to take a shower while Ren and I cleaned up the kitchen. 'You' had gone outside and we thought 'you' were cleaning out the car or something. Ren had some files to look over in the office and so I stayed in the living room, read a book. I don't really know what happened next besides getting hit in the head and everything going dark."

"Sam, how long did the trip to Colorado take?"

He shrugs to the best of his ability, "less than two weeks."

"Sarah and I have been down here for two weeks and I'm not feeling hungry, just pain."

Sarah clears her throat. "They've been feeding and drugging us. I kept quiet and pretended to be asleep when they came down once. They had a couple of IV's and hooked us both up. I'm not sure what was in the bags or how often they've been down here."

Something beyond anger flashes in Dean's eyes, "Ren?"

"I - I think she's still her."

"How are you sure?"

"I don't know, Dean. What are we going to do?"

"I'll come up with something."


	5. The Cavalry

Twelve hours after the cop took Serenity away in the back of his unmarked vehicle, Dean struts into the house, searching for the other shifters. It doesn't take long before he finds them, all he has to do is listen for the crying. He follows the soft sounds up the stairs and into the bedroom that his younger brother shares with his mate.

He doesn't even try to hide the anger embedded in his voice, "you're seriously still crying?"

Wide eyes full of fear and shame look up over a large and comforting shoulder.

Sam glares at his older brother, "what do you want?"

"Get in the kitchen." It wasn't a question or a request, but then again, he has never been known to ask something of someone. If he said it, he expected you to fall in line and do it. That's what happens when you're forced to take over the family after hunters commit genocide and you're all that's left. The creature inside Dean's skin shifts in anger.

Sam and Sarah are quick to fall in line, all but marching down the stairs behind their leader.

Once in the kitchen, they all take a seat at the table Sarah has come to love. It's old and well-worn from thousands and thousands of meals that have been made with love. She stops a sigh before it escapes. Dean teased her in the past for being sentimental and getting too attached to human things. What could she say? They interested her.

"You two are going to get her."

The two shifters exchange confused looks. Sam is the first to speak, "which her?"

Rolling his eyes, Dean pinches the bridge of his nose, "the last member of our family, my wife."

Sarah spreads her slender fingers against the table, "why do we both need to go?"

"She has been in hiding for the last 200 years. You really think she’ll welcome you with open arms?"

"So why don't you go? She’s your wife."

"Someone has to stay here and keep things under control since you seem incapable of doing just that."

"I'm sorry-"

"I don't want to hear how sorry you are anymore! Just take a picture of some human with so she has a form she can change into. She'll complete the transformation once you return."

Sam nods to the back door. "What about the others?"

"As long as they're breathing, we can take over their lives and no one will know the difference. We can finally have a real home and start our families again. We will rise up stronger than ever before."

Images of fire, blood, silver, and death burst into the mind of the lead shifter. A hunter stood tall over the four of them as they lay on the ground, close to death, crying for mercy. Just as the hunter was about to lay the final blow, someone called to him, and he fled. They were there for what seemed like days before gathering what little strength remained and ran. Two to the east, one to the south, and one to the west.

It wasn't until the oldest brother heard rumblings of two hunters, brothers that were coming their way. He didn't even think, he just reacted and before he knew what was happening, he attacked the oldest hunter in the parking lot. The hunter's body was hidden in the trunk with his brother's shifter mate. It was perfect, two brothers and their mates. The hunter brothers traveled across the country, and what better cover to exact their revenge on the family lines that massacred them all those years ago, than hunters themselves. He was almost proud of himself.

A growl bubbles in his chest as he stares at the shifters. "What are you waiting for?!"

Sarah and Sam run out of the room, a pair of keys to Ren's car in hand. Gravel sprays the side of the house as they fly down the drive.

He knows they are rushing things and that if his mate disliked anything, it is to be rushed. If only Sarah could have held her hunger, but she was much younger and wasn't as disciplined as the other three. That would change. Dean would make sure of it.

He is about to head out to hook up a nutrient and sedative IV out to the three hosts before the sound of gravel crunching under multiple sets of tires reaches him. The bags are stashed into a random cupboard before his long legs take him outside.

The same unmarked police car from earlier is being followed by a washed out, used to be blue, two door Chevelle; Bobby Singer. Just what he fucking needs right now.

Bobby and Ian park next to each other and exchange a friendly handshake before Dean is standing in front of them.

"Bobby, I wasn't expecting you. What can I do for you again, officer?" His eyes are cold as he looks each of them up and down.

Ian is uneasy about something and he fights the urge to feel the weight of his 9mm in his hand, "I was hoping I could speak with Sarah Blake?"

"I'm sorry, you just missed her."

"Where'd she go?"

"She and Sam had to head back to Iowa to get a few things she forgot. Why do you need to speak with her?"

"Serenity says that Sarah is her alibi and I just need to verify that with Sarah."

"They'll be gone for at least a few days."

"I understand. If you speak to her, can you have her call me?"

"I will pass along the message."

"Thank you. Have a nice day." Ian climbs into his car and disappears down the long gravel drive.

Bobby takes a long look at Dean before reaching into the trunk for a few bags. "You gonna help an old man or not?"

Forcing a smile, Dean helps Bobby carry the bags into the house. "Ren call you?"

"Yeah, last night after she was processed." Bobby can tell that something is off with Dean, but he doesn't want to go all out and say he was a shifter. After all, Ren isn't even sure, she just has a feeling.

"She say how she was doing?"

"Just that she's scared. I thought she would have called you with her one phone call."

Dean just shrugs as he pops open a bottle of beer, "you're her family more than me."

Bobby joins in, cracking open his own bottle, "yeah but you're her soul mate, boy."

The shifter inside writhes in almost agony, "she's gonna call whoever she wants to call, Bobby."

Bobby catches an emotion that he can't place as it dances across Dean's features. "In any case, Garth is at the station with her now, he's playing a lawyer this time. Hopefully she'll be out before lunch. You mind if I head up and shower?"

Dean shakes his head and watches the older man climb the stairs. Great, two more hunters were here. It was going to be hard enough to get out and make sure the hosts didn't die when it was just going to be Serenity, but now there were two extra people he has to watch out for.

Cupboards and a screen door slam before the shifter makes his way out to the hiding spot just inside the protective iron circle.

* * *

 

Bobby watches from a window in the bedroom as Dean carries three IV bags full of a dark yellow liquid. The younger man disappears behind some large oak trees before making a brief appearance at a break in the branches. A large rock, almost a boulder, is pushed to the side, and Dean disappears into a dark hole.

For the briefest of moments, Bobby thinks he hears yells for help. Remembering an obscure bit of information about the Harkers building a fallout shelter, he decides to go snooping. If he can get ‘Dean’ out of the house.

* * *

 

The silence during the night in lock up is deafening, almost enough to drive any normal person crazy; maybe that's what they were trying to do. Sleep is elusive since my brain is on overdrive. I try to process everything that's happened today, as well as the past month.

Is it possible that the people I care the most about are really shape shifters? No, they can't be, they are all acting the same and Dean… I don't even want to go there. We haven't been physical since before the ghost case in New York, but we had still kissed, and nothing was different. I would know if Dean isn't Dean, right?

I toss and turn for a majority of the night, catching a few cat naps. Those end up being plagued by dreams of monsters taking over my life. I practically jump out of the small cot, drenched in sweat, and a scream caught in my throat.

"Get it together Serenity, you've gotten through worse things than this." Small pep talks get me through until I either fell asleep again or my mind starts to take over.

"You got a visitor."

A not too chipper female voice invades my 'slumber'. The arm I have slung over my eyes slides off and the cool concrete brushes against my knuckles.

A slender man in his early 30's is dressed in black dress pants, a light brown button up shirt, and a shade darker tie. His usually tousled hair has been styled, and he almost looks like he could walk down the runway if it weren't for the tufts of hair on his chin and cheeks. He sticks a hand through the bars, to the admonishment of the officer.

"Serenity Hatfield, I'm your lawyer, Scott Marsden.”

I can't hide the twinkle in my eye as I slide my smaller hand in his. "Nice to meet you Scott. My uncle send you?"

I just about miss the wink of his left eye, hidden from anyone but me. "He sure did. Now officer, if you'll excuse us, we have a meeting to conduct."

The officer doesn't like the fact that she has to leave us alone, but it is the law.

I come close to bursting out of my seams as soon as the door latches closed. "Garth, thank goodness you're here!"

Garth's demeanor changes from confident lawyer to the self-conscious hunter I've come to know and love, "at least someone's glad to see me."

I swat at his hand since it's still inside the cell, "you here to bust me out?"

"Bobby said no busting. Since you live here, we gotta do it by the book."

"How long do I have to stay in here?"

"I'm pushing to see a judge and get your bail set. You do have money right," he's uneasy about asking the question.

"Yeah, Garth, I have money."

He gives the empty room over his shoulder another look before lowering his voice, "shifters is what Bobby is telling me."

"I – I think so. I mean, I've never come across one before, but I'd seen the carnage left behind when I was real young. I can't believe I thought it was a bear!"

"Don't go beatin' yourself up on this one, Ren."

"Why not? If my hunting instinct wasn't so damn rusty, I probably would have caught on a whole lot sooner." I pace in front of the bars.

Garth reaches out and grabs my shaking hand, “we'll get through this, I promise."

"Don't go making promises you don't know if you can keep. Ian is dead set on believing this is me and not something supernatural."

Garth, sensing that I'm close to losing it, starts to rub his thumb along the back of my hand while his other hand reaches out to grab my shoulder, "Bobby knows that you could never, would never do this to innocent people. Dean, Sam, and Sarah know too… even if they're hidden away because shifters have taken over their identities. We will get everyone through this, you hear me?"

The assertiveness in his voice is a comfort. Squeezing his hand, I nod in agreement, "I hear you loud and clear. Now, when do we see the judge?"


	6. Small Taste of Freedom

Dean marches out to the hiding spot with IV bags in hand and his temper rising with each footstep. The urge to kill everyone in this rinky dink town pours through every fiber in his being. By the time he pushes the rock off the one and only access point, his anger has dissipated slightly. That is until the female of the group starts shrieking for help.

He jumps into the dark hole with grace that would make a ballerina jealous. He closes the distance between him and Sarah in several swift steps and reaches out, slapping her across her cheekbone. The sudden silence is glorious.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Sam struggles against the ropes at his wrists and the shifter can smell fresh blood.

"What are you going to do about it, human?" There's a sneer in his voice that would make any normal human shudder with fear.

Sam doesn't shudder, he doesn't even blink an eye. The shifter is close enough, so Sam snaps his head forward, connecting his forehead with the nose of the shifter wearing his older brother's skin.

The creature recoils, dropping the bags to cover his blood gushing nose.

Sam can't stop from smirking, "what are you going to do about it?"

Dean, tied up and struggling as best he can with a dislocated shoulder, chuckles until he sees the darkness in his double's eyes. "What's your plan here? Drug us and keep us alive until we die of old age?"

Shifter Dean turns his head to spit out the blood that seeped into his mouth. "Something like that."

"You think people won't notice? What about Ren?" He tries to hide the worry in his voice.

"Your human mate will be with you soon enough."

"If you hurt one hair on her head –"

"You'll do what, exactly? You're tied up and injured. You can't hurt me."

A darkness takes over Dean's features that he hasn't felt in a few years. "Those are words that I'll make you swallow, my friend."

Shifter Dean crouches down in front of the human. He rests his hand on the damaged shoulder and starts to squeeze, softly at first. "That is something I would love to see you try to do, friend."

Dean is almost mesmerized by the fact that the broken nose received by his younger brother was healing in front of him. Pain screams through his body as the shifter's hand squeezes tighter until he can’t take it anymore, yelping in agony.

Satisfied, the imposter stands up, and struts over to the fallen IV bags.

The humans struggle on instinct as he inserts the needle into their forearms and he hums softly until the sedative takes its hold. They fall into unconsciousness just as their gags are placed back where they belong, soft moans of protest fall onto deaf ears.

Once the bags are empty, he removes the needles and makes his way out of the room. The rock is pushed over the entrance and with a whistle on the wind, the shifter saunters up to the house.

* * *

 

"The state is requesting remand, your honor. Miss Hatfield is accused of murdering three people over the past week. Who knows what else she will do if released." District Attorney Hawthorne doesn't look at me, rather it seems that she's avoiding me. Funny, considering we went golfing a couple weekends ago.

"Your honor, my client has strong family roots in this town and will surrender her passport in a show of good faith that she will not flee the country," Garth speaks loud and clear in the small town courtroom.

"She is a pathologist which has provided her with a specialized skill set that makes her a danger to everyone around her."

"Miss Hatfield will undergo house arrest during the length of the investigation and trial, if one is pursued."

Judge Albright lifts her eyes from the folder to meet mine. I've heard she's a fair judge, a benefit of the doubt judge. "Miss Hatfield, is what your lawyer says the truth?"

The butterflies in my stomach threaten to tumble out my mouth, "yes, your honor."

"Your honor, given her position, she will say anything to get out of jail."

"Calm down, counselor. Given the gravity of the situation, I am inclined to agree with you."

"Your honor, if I may. Serenity Hatfield has an exemplary record, not so much as a speeding ticket. You really think she would go from zero to ninety in three seconds?"

The judge narrows her eyes and looks hard at Garth, "excuse me?"

I catch a slight slump of his shoulders, but he's quick to recover, "she isn't capable of something this heinous."

The judge softens slightly as her eyes give me a once over. I was able to take a shower and change into something a bit more presentable than jeans and a stained white t-shirt. She breaks eye contact only to write something on a form, the soft flutter of the file closing practically echoes in the room. "Miss Hatfield will surrender her passport, driver's license, and will be placed under house arrest for the remainder of the investigation and possible impending trial. You are also hereby suspended from your position until charges are cleared. I am denying the state's request for remand and am granting bail for $50,000. Next case on the docket please." She slams her gavel once, signaling for us to leave.

I hold myself together until we are out of the courtroom and only then do I throw my arms around Garth's slender frame. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. You were amazing in there."

Garth returns the hug a little awkwardly, "don't thank me yet. We still have to get you out of this. In the meantime, let's get your bail posted and meet with whoever sets up the house arrest thing."

I place a call to the bank that holds my savings account and a wiring of $50,000 is placed to the account number given. Once the funds are approved and received, we meet with the proper people and get the house arrest rules figured out. I sign about a million forms before I walk out arm in arm with Garth.

Ian watches from his desk as I leave; a sour look on his face.

Garth runs an uneasy hand through his hair, messing up his lawyer look, "where to, mi'lady?"

"Take me home, Garth."

I feel like I've been in lock up for more than a twenty-four hour period and I know that I wouldn't last if I were to actually be convicted.

The ride home seems to take twice as long, but that might have something to do with my driver. Garth drives five miles an hour under the speed limit since we have a police escort to make sure that we don't skip town. The squad chirps its siren and turns around as soon as we pull up the gravel drive.

I feel like a kid in the candy store as my house starts to appear and there is Bobby's car, the car I learned to drive in.

Bobby comes out the front door moments after Garth gives the horn a couple taps.

I don't wait for the car to shift into park before I throw the door open and am running full speed toward the older man. Tears are streaming down my face and I have the sudden thought that I really need to get a hold of myself; I was only in jail for a day.

His strong arms wrap protectively around me as I bury my face in his shoulder, weeping openly against the soft flannel. His strong fingers are in my hair, "girl, it's alright, you're home now."

I try and gather my composure, but it's just not working; exhaustion begins to take hold of me. Garth gathers the paperwork from the car and walks silently into the house, passing Dean.

Dean clears his throat and my head shoots up. The part of me that wants him to hold me, kiss me, and tell me that everything will be ok tells the hesitant part to shut up and locks it in a room.

I give Bobby a kiss on the cheek before I run to Dean, his arms open. I don't notice that the small smile doesn't reach his eyes and they're not twinkling like they normally do. I push aside the shiver that dances along my spine as soon as his arms are around me, holding me against him. I should be glad that he's here, that I'm out of jail, and that we can try to solve this case together. I should be, but something is eating at the back of my mind, screaming that something isn't right, pounding against the locked door with all its might. I shudder against his chest.

Bobby walks behind us and I feel unease roll off him like waves. Doubt is written all over his face and he tries miserably to hide it with a wink.

I swallow reflexively at the bile rising in my throat as my mind finally catches up with the reality of the situation. Dean is a shape shifter.


	7. Discovery

Stopping only for gas and a quick meal to go,Sam and Sarah arrive in the small town of Bradford, Arkansas just over twelve hours after Dean practically chased them out of the house.

With a population of just under 900, it was a blink and you'll miss it kind of town. At the entrance of town, there is one gas station attached to a diner and an auto repair shop that hides behind the gas station. A white church sits across from a bar, there were more cars there than at the church. A grocery store the size of the gas station stands alone on its own block and just beyond that is a three room school that is also used for city council meetings. Besides that, no other businesses stood out on the main drive.

Sarah pulls off into a secret drive that isn't on the GPS, shifting the car into park once they reach a small clearing. "You sure this is the place?"

"According to Dean it is."

"Why can't we call each other by our real names?"

"If we are going to take over their lives, we need to take over all aspects of them. One slip could get us discovered and killed. Come on."

The two climb out of Serenity's Chevy Cruze, the double beep of the car alarm chirps behind them as Sam leads the way down the rocky and bumpy dirt path.

Low hanging tree branches and bushes at their feet reach out, marking their exposed skin. Sarah's legs and arms get the worst of it since she had been wearing yellow plaid shorts and a butter yellow tank top at the time of their departure. Thankfully, her shifter powers will heal the scrapes and cuts almost immediately after her skin breaks, but that didn't mean the cuts don't hurt.

Just when she is ready to stomp her feet and flee back to the protection of the car, the path opens to reveal the entrance to a cave. She peeks around Sam and swallows hard. The darkness inside the cave is enough to make her shudder, it’s blacker than anything she's ever seen.

As if feeling her fear, Sam reaches behind and grabs her shaking hand, "let's get this over with."

The temperature drops once they step inside the darkness. They blink rapidly, working to adapt to the rapid change in light. Another benefit to being a shifter is the ability to see in the dark, no flashlights or lanterns are needed. The only sound is the shuffling of feet along rock and water dripping and running off in the distance.

Suddenly, the cave opens to a body of crystal blue water and they both have the urge to dive in. There's an ambient light coming from the water so the shifters don't have to rely on their ability so much.

Sarah whispers harshly, "where is SHE?!"

"I don't know."

She all but plasters herself against the large back of her mate, "we should go."

Sam scans the room, turning his head slowly as his eyes take in everything about it. There's only one entrance, they didn't pass any other tunnels on the way in, and it looks like there's an underground exit at the far end of the water. "You're right, we should go through there."

Sarah barely has time to register what he says before he dives into the pool. She stammers just long enough to see him disappear into the tunnel, and then she follows suit.

It's a short swim in the tunnel that opens under a waterfall, water pounds down its strength on top of them as the pair come up for air. The grotto in front of them is almost majestic. There's light shining in through an opening to and the sun is shining off walls that look like someone melted down emeralds, pearls, and sapphires, painting every surface of rock they could find.

A hissing sound from behind a rock grabs their attention.

Sarah didn't have much dealing with Dean's wife before the attack, frankly because she scared her.

Sam usually did most of the talking, "your husband sent us."

"Lies."

"It's true, he couldn't come and get you himself."

"He wouldn't send someone when he could get the job done."

Sam pulls himself up and out of the water before offering a hand to Sarah, "he wouldn't unless he had to."

A woman, about 5'5" steps out from behind a rock column. She is beyond dirty and her clothes are practically non-existent. She probably absorbed the form of the last person she devoured. Sam and Sarah both incline their head as she appears.

"What happened?" She inquires with authority.

"We found the perfect cover for us to come out of hiding."

"Tell me."

Sam spares no detail when it comes to telling the story, including how Sarah's hunger got the best of her, and now Serenity's freedom was in jeopardy.

"You were always too impulsive and lacked control."

Sarah nods in agreement, her eyes rooted to the floor, "yes, I am aware."

"So I am to take the form of this Serenity and we can exact our revenge on the bloodline that murdered our family. Excellent." She rubs her hands together almost maniacally and it sets Sarah's teeth on edge.

She sets about getting a new form from a picture on Sam's cell phone before they make their way back to the car, through the forest this time.

Sam and Sarah are forced to endure a good amount of time in the car in wet clothes as Dean would be furious at any unnecessary stops along the way.

His wife, apparently happy to have some shifter company, fills the car with questions and stories about the last two hundred years.

* * *

 

I'm showered and smell like a bouquet of lilacs rather than sweat and a musty jail cell. I pull on a pair of khaki Bermuda shorts and a blush pink cotton t-shirt before padding barefoot down the hall to Bobby's room. Peeking around the door, I knock softly to get his attention. His back is to me as he stares out the window.

"Hey, kid, come on in." The curtain at the window falls closed as he moves away. He wraps his arms around me in another bone crushing hug, "you feel better?"

"A little bit, the shower helped. Now all I need is some real food and a good night sleep."

“Garth went into town to get some food, I hope that's ok."

"Why wouldn't it be? He should know what to get."

"You know Garth, he might come back with cheesy puffs and diet Coke."

I make a face like I just sucked on a lemon, "he better not or I'll really have a reason to go to jail. Thanks for sending him, by the way. He was awesome in that courtroom."

"He wanted to. You know him and his Law & Order marathons."

I can't help but chuckle at that image. I take a long look down the hall before closing the door. Dean is downstairs and I'm not sure how much he'll be able to hear, so I whisper my next question, "what are we going to do?"

Bobby just shrugs, "I don't know, but I don't think it's just him we gotta worry about."

"What makes you say that?"

Opening the curtain, Bobby points out into the trees, "I saw him go out there a while before you got home, it looked like he was carrying IV's."

"Jonathan and Abe dug out a small room that they used for storing canned foods and ammo… hiding when absolutely necessary."

"I could swear that I heard a scream when he opened the door."

"Is it a pack?"

"I think it might be something we need to consider."

"Sam and Sarah?"

"Ian came looking for Sarah. Dean said she and Sam went to Iowa for things she left behind."

"No, that's not right. She told me that she got everything she could and the rest was shipped the week after she moved in."

"This is your house and you're the one getting framed, what do you want to do?" I can tell he wants to storm the castle, go in with guns blazing, but he's handing over the reins on this one.

I chew on the inside of my lip, almost breaking the skin, and process everything that has happened in the last week. I vaguely remember hearing the front door open and close on the nights of the murders, how Dean and Sarah were acting different after the boys came back from New York, and Sam after Colorado, the look Dean shot Sarah when Ian asked me to go to the station.

"I don't know Bobby. Part of me wants to wait until Sam and Sarah get back before we do anything."

"And the other part?"

"Wants to rip him apart limb from limb."

A faint smile tugs at his lips, "you want to do the silver test?"

"No, I know it's not our Dean."

"What about the shelter?"

"Sedatives work on them too, right? What if I slip something into dinner and after he passes out, we tie him up in the panic room and take a look for ourselves?"

"You got something that will take down a shape shifter?"

I incline my head and look at him through my lashes, "you do know who you're talking to right?"

He can't stop the chuckle as it spills into the room, "you are your mother's daughter."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should."

* * *

 

Garth is back an hour later and he has purchased everything I need to make bacon cheeseburgers and waffle fries.

I grill the burger for Dean a little rarer than normal, it’ll help hide the taste of the sedative I slip in the meat.

Bobby and Garth make small conversation, but I'm not paying any attention to their words; the shape shifter across from me has my full attention. I force myself to eat, and as much as my stomach has been screaming for real food, it is working hard to reject the sudden intrusion. Whenever fierce green eyes meet mine, I force a small smile while fear that he knows what we are up to dances along my spine.

Just when I think that our cover is blown and the sedative isn't going to work, his body slumps in the chair and his forehead smacks hard against the table.

Garth looks at him, myself, and over to Bobby with his mouth hanging open; we didn't tell him what was going on at dinner.

I'm practically frozen to my chair, but Bobby jumps into action, smacking Garth on the shoulder. "Give me a hand, boy. Ren, you get the doors for us."

The shuffle down the stairs is awkward, but it gets done rather quickly. After securing Dean to the wall in chains, Bobby slides a silver knife against the forearm of our prisoner. The skin reacts like we thought it would as a stream of crimson blood streaks against skin.

"Son of a bitch," Bobby all but growls before slamming the door closed. When Bobby was out for a 'free' weekend, we renovated the panic room; he had decided to alter the design slightly. Iron, like before, was dipped in salt before it was coated in silver.

'A precaution,' he said at the time. God bless him.

The three of us run out of the house and in the direction that the shelter was dug out all those years ago. It takes all our strength to push the rock off the access point. Once the door is thrown open, We are greeted by steps that lead into darkness; I'm the first one to run into the pitch.

There's little light in the room, just the setting sun behind us, and it takes several moments for my eyes to adjust.Spying a pull cord connected to a lone light bulb, I give it a firm yank. A dull yellow, almost ambient light spreads around the small room.

I gasp when my mind registers there are three people gagged and tied to the support beams.

Garth runs over to Sarah, Bobby to Sam, and I practically land on Dean's lap.

I remove the gag and toss it to the ground, wincing when I see the abrasions at the corners of his mouth with dried blood set into his smile lines. It’s not hard to see that his left shoulder looks a bit odd. I push against his chest and pull his legs out so that he's resting back against the beam; removing the strain on his dislocated shoulder.

He groans in pain but remains unconscious.

Bobby and Garth have also gotten the gags removed, using Garth’s pocket knife to remove the tight ropes.

Bobby mimics Garth before tossing the knife over to me.

I block out all noise behind me as I work on getting Dean released from his bonds. The blade is duller than I had hoped and it takes a minute before his wrists fall away. There’s no stopping the tears slipping down or the hiss when I see the damage to his skin. The rope is caked in blood and there are sores on his skin.

"Why aren't they waking up?" I press my fingers against a pulse point and sigh loudly when his pulse beats beneath my touch.

Garth and Bobby check Sarah and Sam, and the result is the same, alive but unresponsive.

The youngest hunter wipes away a film of sweat from his forehead, "maybe they've been drugged."

"That would explain the bags I saw the shifter with today."

"Their wounds need cleaning and Dean has a dislocated shoulder. The shifter said something about Sam pulling his shoulder out after a car accident." I run my hands over the damaged shoulder and he squirms against my touch, "Bobby, Garth, I'm gonna need your help. It's been a few weeks since this happened, it's not gonna be pretty."

We move Dean so he's lying on the ground; I can get more leverage this way.

Garth holds down his right arm and upper chest while Bobby sits on his thighs and pushes his hands onto Dean's stomach. I take a few deep breaths as I place my foot on the left side of his chest while lifting his arm in the air. "On the count of three."

The men nod at me before bracing themselves for the oncoming resistance. I count down and pull as hard as I can, grunting when I hear a bone grinding pop.

Garth and Bobby hold down a bucking and screaming Dean. He might not be completely awake, but he sure as hell is extremely pissed off.

With my face in front of his and hands on either side of his face, I look into unfocused eyes, "Dean, you gotta wake up! Hey, calm down, you're safe. DEAN!" Yelling into his face isn't working. As much as I don't want to, I reach out and slap him. Hard.

All of his yelling and thrashing cease.

Large green eyes snap into focus and stare hard into mine. His features soften slightly, but he can't hide the pain coursing through his body. His voice is hoarse and almost inaudible. "Ren, that you?"

Relief floods through me and I motion for Bobby and Garth to get off him. I help him sit up before throwing my arms around his neck. "Yeah, it's me, baby!"

One strong arm wraps around my waist and he buries his face in my neck. Sweat, blood, and dirt flood my senses. We remain that way, holding on to each other as if our lives depend on it, until my arms are shaking from squeezing him so tight.

I pull back so that I can really see his face. He's tired and slightly malnourished. His face is covered in dirt mixed with sweat, and it has run down his neck and stained the shirt. There are several jugs of water against the far wall that Bobby drags over.

Once Dean drains one jug, his eyes flick over to his brother and Sarah, "they ok?"

Bobby shrugs absentmindedly, "seem to be."

"They've been drugging us."

My blood practically boils, "I can't believe this happened. How long have you been down here?"

"They got me in New York, Sarah after we got home, and Sam in Colorado."

"I think we can expect another one."

"What makes you say that?"

"Shifter Sam and Sarah disappeared yesterday."

"Where to?"

"We don't know, but I think it has something to do with me."

"Why?"

With a soft sigh, I tell Dean about a shifter killing people in town and it was wearing my face. The whole story practically falls out of my mouth, including how Garth is my lawyer, and how he is the one that got me out of jail.

Dean gives Garth an approving wink that I know sends Garth's spirits sky high. The look doesn't last long before rage spills onto his features, "we gotta kill these things."

Bobby turns his attention to Sam, he has started to shift and moan. "That's the plan. We got 'you' locked in the panic room."

Dean nods before I help him off the dirt floor. He reaches over to give his left shoulder a squeeze and a flash of pain blazes across his face. "Call Ian, I want to show this bastard exactly what is going on in his town."


	8. An Even Trade

"I'm not sure that calling Ian is the best idea right now. We have no real proof-"

"We have a shifter wearing MY skin locked in a silver coated panic room. How much more proof do you need?"

I hold my hands up in defense, "Dean, you don't know him or the state of mind he's in right now."

"I don't need to know the son of a bitch. He arrested you! That's all I need to know about the man."

"He's also in shock and denial. You really think shoving something supernatural in his face is going to make him see it from your side all of a sudden?"

"Well it can't hurt."

"It can backfire more than you know."

"What do you want to do, miss know it all?"

"What we need to do right now is get the three of you in the house and looked at."

"No! We need to kill this thing and the rest of them," Dean's eyes are almost wild as they scan the room taking in the scene of his brother and Sarah lying on the ground, bloody, and unconscious.

I move in front of him to catch his gaze and reach my hands out toward his arms slowly as if he were a scared animal. "Dean, you've been locked in a hole in the ground for almost three weeks. You've been drugged and you haven't eaten. You're in no shape to be doing anything right now. Do you really think that I don't know how to handle a situation like this?"

"I never said that, but-"

"But nothing, Dean. Look over there," I point at the two bodies on the floor, as if he hasn't already been taking in the view. "They're not even awake yet, they're not at the top of their game; neither are you, and you want to go in and slaughter everyone? Baby, please listen to me. Let me get you all inside and checked out. I have a something that will wake them up. It's harsh but it works."

His jaw works as his brain processes everything I've just said before nodding in approval.

Garth clears his throat from the back of the room, "you want me to run in and get what you were talking about?"

"Yes please. There's a cabinet behind the gurney in the basement with a bunch of different vials in it. This one is sort of brown and looks dingy, it has the letter A written in it. Grab that and two syringes from the drawer below."

Garth takes off running up the stairs and into the house while the three of us move Sam across the room from Sarah. I don't want them too close or they could hurt each other when the drug takes action. I've only had to do this a few times and each time, I was scared someone was going to get seriously hurt. It takes Garth less than two minutes before he returns with the items and hands them to me.

"Bobby and Garth, I'm going to need you next to him."

Dean shakes his head, "I can help."

"I just put your shoulder back in after it being out for 3 weeks, you're not doing anything right now. Besides, Garth did a hell of a job holding you down."

Bobby arches his eyebrow as he surveys the vial, "what sort of cocktail you got there?"

"It's a secret. If I told you, I'd have to kill you. You guys ready? This could be instantly or it could be a few minutes."

Garth and Bobby hold down Sam like they did earlier with Dean.

Once the needle is full of the amber fluid I sit on Sam's free shoulder and chest while finding a vein. With the vein found and needle pushed into it, I push the plunger down, tossing it to the side just in case Sam has an immediate reaction. I do the best I can, securing Sam to the ground.

It's not even a full minute before the drug takes effect. Sam's eyes open wide and he starts thrashing around as if every muscle is on fire. His heart pounds erratically as he fights to get out of our grasp.

Dean crouches down so he can look into his younger brother's face, hands on each side, and his voice is calm, soothing, "Sammy, relax. Everything is ok, we're not here to hurt you, just breathe. That's it brother, breathe."

Sam and Dean breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth together, slowly but surely. Sam's muscles loosen and he stops fighting the three of us.

"I – I'm good, you can get off me." We release him and help him sit up against the wall. "What in the hell was that about?"

I swallow hard enough that it hurts, "we had to wake you up."

"My heart feels like a jackhammer."

"Yeah, that's… gonna last a while."

He moves his head to get a glimpse of Sarah, "we have to do this to her, too, don't we?"

"I'm afraid so. We have to move fast."

We move over to Sarah, Garth holds her right arm while Sam straddles her hips and holds her face in his large hands. Bobby holds down her left shoulder while I search for a vein. I make eye contact with Sam before pushing the plunger down. Sarah doesn't take as long to react; she's much smaller than Sam and the drug doesn't have as much body to work through before hitting the heart. Her breathing is much more ragged than Sam's was and watching Sam work at calming her down brings tears to my eyes.

Sarah is off the ground and in Sam's arms, crying into his chest while he kisses the top of her head.

"I, uh, hate to break this up guys, but there's a shifter in my house and two, maybe three more coming."

We climb out into the evening and take in a deep breath. Garth and Bobby close the door, shoving the rock back where we found it.

There's a soft growl behind me and I jump right out of my skin. Mithra paws at the dirt. Everyone here has seen the giant beast except for Garth and Sarah, and their eyes are wide as saucers.

I reach out to the creature and wrap my arms around her neck, shaking fingers grab at her fur, and hold her close.

Her large eyes take a long look at each person behind me and as if in approval, she blows out a puff of air through her nose.

I tilt my head to look into her face, "you knew, didn't you, that they were shifters." I don't make it a question and she dips her head, almost hitting me with her snout.

I turn around to look at the others behind me and catch a pair of headlights coming up the drive, "crap. I think our company has returned."

"Balls."

"Son of a bitch."

Sarah, Sam, and Garth are the only ones that don't say anything since Dean and Bobby have pretty much covered it.

Mithra becomes extremely agitated and her growl vibrates the ground beneath my bare feet.

Dean moves in front of me just as Sam does to Sarah while Garth and Bobby flank us.

We are unarmed and not prepared to go up against three or four angry shape shifters.

* * *

 

Sam's long fingers grip the steering wheel, partially in frustration and the other part due to sleep withdrawal. Just because they were shifters doesn't mean they don't get tired, they need sleep just like humans.

Dean's wife is sitting in the backseat yammering on and on about the small town she would raid once a month, mainly drifters. Honestly, it was making Sam hungry. It's been awhile since he's been able to enjoy fresh meat.

He turns the car onto the main road into Grand Rapids and in the fading sunlight, certain buildings twinkle like diamonds.

It’s only then she stops talking, taking the other two by surprise. The window rolls down and she puts her face out into the breeze. With her eyes closed, she takes in a large whiff, moaning deeply when the smell of humans wafts up her nose, "oh I'm gonna like it here."

Sarah can't help but smile at the almost childlike action, "it's a big tourist spot, especially in the summer."

There's a smile of pure joy that takes over the features of the much older shifter, "your brother did a fine job finding this for us. I'm going to have to show him just how much I appreciate it."

Her eyes open just in time to see a teenage girl walking alongside the road, her thumb stuck out indicating she was looking for a ride.

Sam, seeing the hunger in the shifter's eyes, shakes his head and locks eyes in the rear view mirror, "no hunting today. We need to get you there and finish the transformation."

Even though she's just under 400 years old, she throws herself back against the seat with her arms folded on her chest, her bottom lip sticks out, "but I'm hungry."

"So are we. I'm just following his orders."

It's not much longer before Sam signals to turn up the drive. The hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention and he punches the pedal down causing rocks to spit out behind him. The SUV slides to a stop just before it would have crashed into the porch, and all three of them pour out of the vehicle.

Loud and guttural yelling, almost howling reaches their ears causing them to burst into the house. They follow the sounds down into the basement and hiss like snakes when they reach the panic room, its silver walls shining at them; almost as if to mock them.

Sam kicks at the door making it shudder in the frame.

The trapped shifter’s voice stops mid-yell and he pulls harder against the shackles, "brother, is that you?"

"Yeah, I have Kakra with me."

"Get me OUTTA HERE!"

Sam reaches out to touch the surface, hissing in pain as smoke pours off his skin. "I – I can't."

"Yes, you can and you WILL!"

The girls touch other areas of the surface, their skin reacting the same.

A voice like honey speaks to her husband, "the walls are coated in silver, my love. We can't get in."

"BREAK IT DOWN!" He places his feet against the wall and pulls with all his might on the chains. Try as he might, they don't budge. He screams in frustration. Stupid humans, he will take great joy in making them wish they were dead.

The shifters look around for something to break down the thick, silver coated walls. There is an operating room with everything that should go with it; a closet with robes and extra clothes of various sizes, racks of bottles, surgical equipment, and books; but no tools.

Sarah wraps a shirt from the closet around her hands and turns the handle before pulling on it, grunting when it won't open. "They must have locked it."

Kakra glares at the young shifter, "no shit. The humans are not stupid."

"What do you want us to do, brother?"

The trapped shifter growls before kicking at the thick wall, "Find them and bring them to me."

The three shifters run up the stairs and do a thorough search of the house, not that they really thought the humans would remain in the house. A loud growl reaches their ears and as the stop to stare at each other, each one inclines their head in question.

Sarah's voice is soft and full of fear, "wh- what was that?"

Her mate's face is full of confusion while the older female gets a playful look to hers.

"I don't know but let's find out." She leads the pack out the back door and toward the growling that is filling the night air.

The three shifters all but skid to a stop.

The massive beast paws at the dirt, the hair on its back stands at attention, and there are six humans behind it. Never had they come across something like this and while it scares the pants off Sarah and Sam, it delights Kakra.

She wants to touch it, to play with it, to cut it open, and bathe in its blood.

* * *

 

We all watch from behind Mithra as three forms come pouring out the back of the house. I try to stand my ground and not let the fear consume me whole.

The three shifters stand on the other side of the hidden iron and stare hard at the beast looming over them. The smile of the unknown shifter sends a shiver along my spine. I assume that's who will be wearing my skin.

Her voice comes out thick, like honey, "there's no need to hide behind your beast, we don't plan on killing you."

Dean doesn't hide the hatred from his voice, "no, you just plan on wearing our skin, taking over our lives, and keeping us locked away."

"Details, darling. There are two of you here that don't belong. Leave this place now, without a fight, and you will be spared."

I can hear Garth swallow before Bobby laughs, "we ain't leaving, darling."

Her tongue darts out to wet her bottom lip, "are you sure about that?"

"Sure as I'm standing here."

Dean squeezes my hand, "how about you leave and we'll give you a head start."

"Head start? Why on earth would we need that?"

"To make killing you that much more enjoyable." There's a deadly spark in his eyes.

"The only killing that's going to happen is when we devour your beast and two friends here." The smile on each of their faces puts an unseasonable chill in the air.

I place my hand on Mithra's hip and step out so they can all see me, "let them go."

Dean snaps his head to the left so fast I'm surprised he doesn't break his own neck, "what?"

"They have your looks, but they need mine."

"No, this is not going to happen."

I point at the tracking bracelet appointed to me earlier in the day at the courthouse; it was activated once I stepped foot in my house and called to check in. "Dean, I can't leave the property without them thinking I'm making a run for it. If I stay, that means you guys can go, get locked and loaded, and everything you need to do in order to slaughter them all. If I run, they'll come here unprepared for what they'll be walking into. You want that on your conscious?"

Dean works his jaw and shakes his head, "I don't like this plan."

"Give me a better one."

"We make a run for it, they chase, and Mithra kills them all."

Garth had snuck over as soon as we started talking, "I like that plan, that's a good plan."

I shake my head firmly, "no, there's too many variables, too many things can go wrong. You're hurt and there's nothing out there for miles." I point to the hundreds of acres that is my property.

"They'll hurt you."

"But they won't kill me, they need me."

Dean cups my face in his hands as he kisses me, making up for the last three weeks. The shifters behind us groan in disgust before Mithra gives a howl that makes the trees shudder.

When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against mine, "I am coming back."

"I know you are." Swallowing at the lump in my throat, Mithra whines deep in her chest. I whisper to Dean that I love him before pushing away and walking to stand in front of Mithra.

Her eyes sparkle with anger, hatred, and fear as I grab her jaw. "You make sure they come back for me, ok? Don't let anything happen to them or you'll have me to deal with." I press a kiss on her wide snout before I turn and face the shifters.

Fear of the unknown has taken hold of every fiber in my being and I'm practically shaking. The shifters haven't made a move toward me. Sensing my hesitation, but knowing this is what I need to do, Mithra rests her nose against my shoulder and gives me a nudge.

Swallowing the bile in my throat, I slowly step across the boundary and force myself to stand tall.

"It's me, or nothing at all."

Kakra's tongue darts out before a rich laugh fills my ears. "You're all we need."


	9. Unexpected

The group retreats with Mithra taking up the rear. She had a stare down with the three shifters until the female wrapped her long fingers around Serenity's upper arm and practically drug her up to the house.

Sam nudges his older brother with his pointy elbow. "I don't like this plan."

"I don't either."

"So why are we tucking tail?"

"We aren't prepared for this fight."

"Since when are we ever prepared for a fight?"

"Sammy, we both know that if we picked a fight right now, we probably wouldn't make it out alive."

"That's part of the job, Dean."

"We have a choice this time."

"Since when do you do what you're asked or told? You haven't had such faith in someone since Dad was around."

Dean absentmindedly reaches over to rub at his aching shoulder. "I guess I have to start some time. How's she doing?" His jaw juts out towards Sarah.

She has her arms wrapped around her shoulders as if she's trying to comfort herself or hold every ounce of heat in her body. It's not cold out, but she was just brutally awakened from a drug induced sleep; that alone is bound to take its toll on someone.

"She says she's ok, but you know Sarah. She knows what we deal with and that this life wasn't meant to be easy."

"Doesn't mean she's not freaking out a little."

Sam nods before moving away from his older brother, he places a long arm around her small shoulders and pulls her close against his side.

Dean can see her relax the instant Sam touches her. He doesn't fight the chuckle in his chest.

"Cute, ain't they?"

"I wonder what things would have been like for them if they had hooked up back then."

"No use dwelling on the past, boy."

"Yeah, it's never done me much good before."

"What's the plan?"

Dean shakes his head. "Honestly Bobby, I have no idea. You got anything?"

"Well it's a couple miles into town, right?"

"And we don't have a car."

"How far into town is the police station?"

"Quarter mile, maybe."

"You think Ian is still at work?"

"How would I know? I've been out of commission for almost a month!"

"Don't yell at me, boy. We got you out of there as soon as we figured out what was happening."

"I know you did Bobby, thank you."

"So we go and talk with Ian, bring him out, and show him the beast?"

"You think that's a good idea?"

"It's the only one we got right now."

"Where are we gonna get guns and everything we need?"

"He was in the army and he's a detective, maybe he has something."

"It's worth a shot."

"Hey, I know you don't like the idea of leaving Ren back there with them."

"You're right, I don't. I also don't like having to go and convince this guy that there's a pack of shifters in his town."

"We'll get 'em, son."

"I just hope we're not too late."

* * *

 

Her fingers are strong as they dig into my skin and I wouldn't be surprised if I felt blood drip down my arm. She half drags me through the yard, into the house, and almost pushes me down the stairs where her mate is screaming at the top of his lungs. The inhuman shrieking echoes in my ears and I fight the urge shove my fingers in them.

I reach out with shaking hands and unlock the gleaming silver door. The shifter stops mid-scream and whirls around to glare at me with cold eyes.

A shifter pushes me into the remodeled panic room and I fight gravity as it pulls me towards the hard floor.

The shifter wearing Dean's skin continues to glare at me, wrists held out in front of him for me to release the iron shackles. There's an echo of the latch releasing before his hand is wrapped around my throat and I'm two feet off the floor; my back pressed against the cool wall.

I claw at his hand, pulling skin and blood as I fight for air while his eyes are fixed on mine. Anger rolls off him in waves as he watches me struggle.

His mate places a hand on his shoulder just as I feel the darkness surround me. "We need her alive, my love."

He shrugs away from her touch before his hand disappears.

My feet hit the ground before my knees and hands.I cough as my lungs fight to pull in the much needed oxygen.

His voice, Dean's voice invades my ears, rage coats his words, "I wasn't going to kill her."

"You could have fooled me, darling."

I stand on shaking legs, adrenaline rushing through me as I regain control of my lungs. Anger is quick to take over as I pull my arm back and shove my fist into the stolen face of Dean Winchester.

He doesn't fall to the floor, but he sure is surprised. Blood flows out of his nose as the cartilage snaps for the second time.

"You son of a bitch." The three shifters behind him watch in shock.

"You're the one that locked me up!"

"Seriously? You take over the man that I love, my family and invade my house and YOU'RE the one that's upset?" I fight the urge to punch him again as I watch his nose repair itself and the blood slows from a steady flow, to a few drops, to nothing.

He wipes the back of his hand under his nose, removing any evidence that I just broke his nose. His finger is in my face and there's a darkness to his features. "You want to talk about family? Family is what I had until a group of hunters came in and burned them alive!"

"This is about revenge?"

"You're damn right it is! Revenge is the only thing that's been keeping us going."

"That's just about the dumbest thing I ever heard."

A whole new level of rage takes control of the shifter as the back of his hand connects with my cheekbone.

The blow drives me to the floor. I spit out blood from where my cheek hit a tooth before I push up off the floor, stars cluttering my vision. "Is that the best you got?"

He takes a step toward me before his mate steps between us.

Small hands rest on his chest and I watch with wide eyes as she slowly starts to transform from the feet up. "If this is all part of your plan, us being together and taking over their lives, how can we do that if she's beaten to a bloody pulp?" The last thing to change is the length and color of her hair, from shoulder length dirty blonde to waist length brilliant red.

Just when I think I can't handle anymore, she stands on her toes and kisses him, soft and tentative until he responds with an animalistic hunger that practically vibrates through the room.

Bile climbs up my throat fast enough that I stumble back and out the door looking for someplace to empty my stomach. I barely make it to the sink before I retch until my stomach has no more to offer, and then some.

I recoil at the soft touch of a hand to my back, moving in small circles. I catch a glimpse of long black hair, shifter Sarah.

"Are you ok?"

I rinse my mouth with water from the tap and groan softly as I hang my head, my hair falling out of the large clip. "I'm fine."

Her dark eyes soften in the soft light. "I know how they can get and it's a little overwhelming at times."

"Why do you care about me?"

She bites her bottom lip as she watches the happy couple emerge from the silver encased panic room. "I – I just do."

I stare hard into her dark eyes and try to figure out if she's playing me, trying to get on my good side for information or something when I'm hit with another wave. I resume my position over the sink and steady my breathing, in through my nose and out through my mouth. The pressure of her hand against my back is soothing and I nod at her in thanks. "Now what? What are they going to do?"

She shrugs as her eyes meet Sam's. "I don't know for sure; it's not going to be pretty, that much I do know."

"How long are you going to be wearing our skin?"

She shrugs again. "I'm not in charge, I don't know the extent of their plan. And if I did – "

"You couldn't tell me, yeah I know the drill."

She reaches for a wash cloth, running it under cool water before handing it to me. "The nausea will pass in time."

The cold cloth feels amazing against my clammy skin. "I'm sure it will, just as soon as I get my family and my house back."

Confusion washes over her face. "I – I don't understand."

"Stress and nerves, I'm a little freaked out right now and they," I point up the stairs, "aren't making it any better."

Small hands reach toward me, one to my shoulder and the other to my stomach. Hesitation at my reaction is evident on her face, so I nod with consent. Her eyes flutter closed as her features pinch together in concentration.

I blink rapidly as her features start to melt with mine before settling back to the skin she has stolen.

Bright eyes open as a smile tugs at her lips. "It's not just nerve,s Serenity."

"What are you talking about?"

"You really don't know, do you?"

"Know what?!" My heart starts to race as all possibilities catapult through my mind.

She grabs my hands and places them on my belly. "You are with child."

* * *

 

Shifter Dean tosses a look over his shoulder to his brother, who nods curtly before pocketing my keys.

Dean glares at Serenity over the top of his mate, every negative emotion is etched into his gaze before Kakra speaks.

"She… feels funny."

Dean wraps his arm around the love of his life as they walk slowly up the stairs. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. There's something off."

"Is she ill? Did we pick the wrong form for you?"

Kakra sits down at the table with her hands pressed against her belly, eyes flutter closed as she tries to get a feel for what is ailing her host, but she can't put her finger on it. With a shrug of her shoulder she opens her eyes. "I don't think it's anything terminal, probably just one of those human viruses or something."

Dean looks across the table with concern blossoming in his chest. "Are you sure? We can find you another."

"Nah, I like this one. She's spunky!"

"Bitch punched me!"

Kakra can't hide the laugh in any longer. "Gotta give her credit where it's due, Amam."

"Shhh! If the human hears our real names – "

"She won't hear them, my love."

" _If_ she hears our real names, she can gain power over us, control us!"

Kakra moves to stand in front of her husband, hands spread over his chest as she looks up at him through her lashes. "Darling, you need to breathe. This is the first time in a long time that we have been out of hiding and thanks to you, we have a great cover."

Amam can't stop from moaning at the slightest touch; it's been far too long since they have been intimate. He digs his long fingers into her hips, pulling her hard against him. "We need to take care of the other hunters-"

A finger to his lips silences the remaining words. "We have time, the person they seek doesn't believe that we are here. Come." Kakra turns around deliberately slowly, feeling the firmness of her mate against her and with a throaty chuckle, she bolts through the rooms, up the stairs, and into the bedroom that Dean and Serenity share.

* * *

 

Disbelief and shock roll through me as I absorb what the shifter has just told me. Her hands fall away from mine, which are cemented to my stomach.

My throat is suddenly dry which makes my voice croak like a frog. "W - With child?"

"Yes, Serenity."

"How can you know that?"

"When a shifter takes on a human's form, they take on every aspect of the human, well almost. You saw me take your form briefly, I assume?"

I nod slowly. "Sort of."

"That's because I didn't take on all of you, I just took on your organs and your face filtered through. You're newly pregnant, wouldn't even be detected on a test right now." Her voice seems genuinely concerned and happy.

Meanwhile, my heart is racing like I just ran a mile while a hell hound chases me down. "I can't be."

Seeing that I'm uneasy on my feet, Sarah guides me to a chair in the corner. "You are. Give me your hand."

I place both hands in hers, palms up and she guides one hand to my belly and the other to her heart.

"Close your eyes and clear your mind."

I do as I'm told and focus on my breathing; everything around us slowly fades away.

Just when I feel like I could fall asleep, I feel something deep in my stomach twitch.

"Shhhh, keep focusing."

I swallow hard at the lump and try to keep from crying. The twitch is back, only it's more insistent as it moves and I swear I can hear a baby cry from a great distance.

She releases my hands slowly before wiping away my tears. "Is this something you weren't expecting?"

"No, not really. This life that we have it isn't really meant for children."

"But the angel told you that your children-"

"Would save the world. How'd you know?"

"Some of your memories bled through."

I can't figure out what I'm feeling right now, the main thing is I don't know how I'm going to tell Dean.

"What's your name? I can't call you Sarah."

The shifter turns to check on the location of Sam. Satisfied that she can't be heard, she presses her lips against my ear. "I was known to my people as Ari, guardian of the unborn and young."


	10. Reinforcements

Ian shuts down his computer after staring at the screen for over an hour; a picture of a red head fleeing the scene of a murder was starting to blur under his constant gaze.

Grant had left hours ago, so it was just Ian and a few other grave shift rookies on staff.

Goodbye's fall on deaf ears as the detective walks out to find his car. His mind is a jumble of information and pictures. Even though he knew her past, knew what she had battled, and the things she had done, doubt battles acceptance that someone he considers his best friend could murder innocent people. This case was wearing him down and starting to tear him apart.

The beep of his car security disarming is loud in the quiet of the night and there is a shuffling of feet that reaches his ears. He pulls his gun out, and while whirling around, he takes aim.

Dean's hands fly up in defense when he finds a gun aimed at his chest. "Whoa! We didn't mean to startle you."

Ian takes in the group of people: 4 males, 2 of whom look like they've been rolling around in mud and blood while the other 2 looked fairly rested, and one female who looks the most scared she's ever been. The super skinny male catches Ian's attention the most, but he can't place where he knows him from.

"What are you doing here?" He doesn't replace the safety on his gun, nor does he place it back in his holster.

Dean lowers his hands, his left more slowly than the other, and Ian takes notice. "We need to talk."

For being a detective and a grown man, he can't help but roll his eyes. The cool metal of his gun slides against the soft leather holster. "You know the rules, I can't discuss on open investigation with you."

"There shouldn't even be an open investigation."

"Yeah, she told me. Shape shifters, right?" A dry chuckle is in the air.

Dean raises his eyebrow and there's not an inch of humor in his features. "You think this is funny?"

"No, I don't. It's ridiculous is what it is."

"You know about her past, right?"

"Yes."

"So why can't you believe that there are shape shifters here?"

Ian pushes a hand through his dark hair and blows out a puff of air. "I – I don't know, ok?"

"That's not a good enough answer, Ian."

"What do you want from me, Dean?"

"I want you to believe that there is evil in your town and her name is not Serenity. You know her and deep down you know she's not capable of this."

In the dark, Ian catches movement behind the small group and his hand itches to retrieve his weapon. The even darker… thing is larger than large and Ian tries to squash the fear rising in his throat.

A set of large, copper eyes are upon him and that’s when he stumbles back against his car.

Dean whips his head around just in time to step back as Mithra quickly closes the distance. She towers over Ian, nose pressed against his chest and legs as she breathes in his scent. With her nose in front of his face, she stares at him as if trying to read his mind. An impatient whine fills the air around them.

Ian tries to keep his body from trembling, the badge hooked into his belt rattles against the door. "W- w- what is this?"

Dean approaches Mithra from her left, holding out a hand for her to nuzzle against. "Remember last year?"

Ian risks a glance to Dean, eyes large with panic. " _THIS_ is what she was talking about?"

"This is Mithra, Hell beast of Lucifer, passed down to Crowley and Alistair. Now she is loyal to us."

"Why is she HERE?!"

"She knew the shifters were taking over our lives and killing people, but she can't get to them as long as they stay in the house."

Rapid breaths are coming from Ian, he feels like he's going to have a panic attack. "G- get it away from me!"

Dean gives the beast a scratch behind her ear before nodding.

Mithra backs away slowly, sitting her massive form next to Sam and Sarah.

"Do you get it now?"

Ian's hands continue to shake as his heart pumps the last bit of adrenaline through his system. "What do we need to do?"

"We need anything silver; preferably bullets and blades. These things are fast and won't hesitate to kill you, Bobby, or Garth. They need Sam, Sarah, myself, and Ren alive in order to keep our forms."

"I have a stash that I told Ren I would keep for emergencies… didn't actually think I'd need it for something like this."

"Reality sucks."

"When do you want to do this?"

"The sooner the better."

"Is _that_ coming with?" Ian nods to the beast getting an ear rub by Sarah.

"Yes _she_ is. I figure if they try to run for it and get outside of the protective circle, then Mithra can take care of 'em."

As if on cue, a growl vibrates the ground beneath their feet.

"Alright, let's pile in and get geared up."

It's a task, but everyone climbs into Ian's unmarked squad while Mithra keeps pace on the side of the road, hidden by trees to anyone that might be out for a late night run or drive.

Ian calls ahead to let Missy, his wife, know they're going to have company.

* * *

 

Sarah borrows an outfit from Missy while Dean and Sam borrow some shirts from Ian; pants are out of the question as Ian is taller than Sam.

Ian places a kiss on his wife's forehead. "We'll be a while."

"Be safe, ok?"

"You don't have to worry about me."

Sam leans down to kiss Sarah. "I want you to stay here with Missy, ok?"

She shakes her head against his large hands. "No, I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt about that."

"Then I'm coming with."

"No, Sarah, you're not. I can't do this if you're out there."

Sarah looks up at Sam with large eyes, giving an accepting nod before standing on tiptoe to kiss him chastely.

"You come back to me in one piece."

"I'll do my best."

Once the women have retreated to the living room, Ian signals for everyone to follow him into the backyard where Mithra is waiting by a large shed next to the garage. Once inside, Ian lights up the room and Dean gives a low whistle.

Two walls hold every gun you can imagine, from pistol to machine gun, and ammo for everything in drawers beneath the showcase. Another wall holds tactical gear; bulletproof vests, helmets, thigh and shoulder holsters, night vision goggles, helmets, walkie talkies, and more. The last wall holds a case of blades ranging from pig stickers to machetes. In the middle of the room is a table with a duffel bag that Ian has unzipped.

"You got yourself quite a collection here." Sam walks around the room in admiration.

"Saving it up for a rainy day, I guess."

"Well, it's gonna start pouring." Bobby has joined Sam on his journey.

Dean and Ian peer into the bag and start pulling out silver nitrate bullets along with silver knives that curve against your forearm like a scythe.

The oldest Winchester runs his fingers along a blade, hissing as it bites at his skin. "She just left these here?"

Ian shrugs as he starts unlocking the cabinet for the 9mm guns that would be handed out. "Yeah, said she didn't want it in the house anymore and asked if I could keep an eye on it; just in case. I didn't think she would actually need it again."

After strapping on a thigh holster, two loaded guns, and two extra clips, Dean grabs a curved blade and sheath from Ren's bag; strapping it around his waist so the blade sits against his left leg.

Sam copies Dean’s actions while Garth and Bobby opt for one gun, two extra clips, and a blade on their hip.

Everyone gets an ear piece, and when Ian offers a bulletproof vest to everyone, no one but the detective straps one on.

Dean picks up an erasable marker and starts drawing a diagram of the house, where everyone should be, and how the attack should go. "I don't know where Ren will be or how we'll tell them apart at first glance, but if she's locked away, it shouldn't be too difficult to get in there and take them out."

Bobby clears his throat. "I'll check where they had you stashed."

"What if she's not in there?"

Dean shrugs at the detective. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Your other shoulder gonna be ok?"

"I've had worse. Once we're there, I won't even feel it."

"So we park down the road and go from there?"

"You got it. Anyone have any questions before we head out?"

Garth raises his hand. "You got a bathroom?"

* * *

 

Dean enters through the front with Sam at his back. Bobby and Garth are going to see if Ren is stashed in the cellar while Ian takes the back of the house. There are no other exits besides the windows.

Mithra walks the perimeter with her fur standing at attention and eyes taking in any movement.

Bobby and Garth do a quick check of the cellar, finding the room is empty. The older man whispers harshly, "balls! She's not here."

Dean grunts in frustration. "That means they have her in the house. Ian, you checked her location before we left right?"

"Correct. According to her monitoring bracelet, she hasn't left the house."

Sam nudges his older brother. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to kill the sons of bitches."

"You want to go in dark?"

"Nah, let's do this with the lights on."

"So on one?"

"On one. You guys copy?"

Garth and Bobby move swiftly up to meet Ian at the back door and all repeat that they copy.

All guns are locked and loaded as Dean counts down. "3… 2… 1."

* * *

 

Kakra and Amam lie in each other's arms after a quick mating, breathing ragged and enjoying the smell of their own sweat and pheromones.

"See, I told you we had time, my love." Kakra drags a fingernail down his chest, chuckling when he sucks in a breath through his teeth.

"Yes, we did." He holds her firm against his side, his body responding to the mere touch of her skin against his. "I fear that I might not be able to let you out of this bed."

"You should not fear such things. Who says I want to leave?"

"Well, there are the humans we have to deal with."

"Not tonight, darling."

"Why not tonight? You don't think they'll come?"

She shrugs, the small movement causes her breasts to move against his sticky skin. "They aren't prepared for us."

She watches as his eyes flash from pond green to dark chocolate brown, Amam's original eye color, before flashing back to green. "They will be."

Kakra sighs with resignation, she's not going to win this one. "I assume you have a plan."

"Getting the upper hand when we meet them and locking them up for good. The other ones we don't need; those ones we eat." In anticipation, Amam licks his lips hungrily while looking down upon his wife.

* * *

 

Kakra wanders down the stairs just as Ari leans in to whisper something in the human's ear. She strides up to the pair and rips the young shifter out of her chair. "WHAT is going on here?!"

Ari shakes with fear as her mate, Gahiji, hangs back; he knows better than to interfere. "N- nothing, I was just trying to keep the human calm."

Kakra stares hard at the shifter in her strong grip. "I don't believe you. Gahiji, take these two and lock them in the room of silver." She hisses as if the words taste sour on her tongue.

"Kakra, no, please!"

A slap of skin echoes in the room as Ari is thrown to the floor with a punch. Blood spills from her torn lip, but she is quick to cover the wound. Kakra bends down, hovering over the straggler that Amam's younger brother had found among the ruins of their pack. "You will speak to me no more. You know the rules, our real names are not to be used."

Tears are streaming down the stolen skin of Sarah as the shifter flinches in fear. "I- I'm sorry… Serenity. Please have mercy on me."

Kakra looks over her shoulder at her human counterpart and confusion washes over her as she sees hands that are pressed firmly against her stomach. "You, what is the matter?"

Serenity swallows at the lump in her throat and forces herself to speak. "Nothing, my stomach is just a little upset is all."

"What did this one tell you?"

"Just that I would be locked up, but I shouldn't worry."

"Don't lie to me!"

"I'm not lying. I asked what was going to happen, but she said she didn't know.”

Moving with inhuman grace and speed, Kakra is suddenly standing in front of the human; hand on the human's slim throat as Serenity is pulled roughly out of the chair.

Feet still on the ground, Serenity struggles against the firm grip.

"You will not like it if I find out you are lying to me."

Words are strained as she struggles for air. "I'm not lying."

Large, blue eyes bore into their mirror image and Kakra releases the human with a loud exhale. "Fine. But you are still getting locked in that room!"

Gahiji assists Ari off the floor, wiping the blood from her chin with his fingers. "I'm sorry, Ari."

"I understand, my love. You are just doing what you've been told."

Gahiji risks kissing the cool forehead of Ari before closing door with the heel of his hiking boot. The lock is pushed into place and it echoes off the silver walls.

* * *

 

I watch as Ari crumbles to the floor in tears. Her shoulders shake as she covers her face. My heart aches for her and before I know it, my arms are around the shifter; her tears soaking my shirt. "Shhh, it's going to be ok, Ari."

"No, it's not. Either she's going to kill me or your pack will."

She has a point. She did go around wearing my skin while killing people. "It doesn't have to end that way."

"Yes, it does."

"Why does it?"

"I- I'm a horrible pack mate and I've killed… I deserve to die."

I pull back, forcing the young shifter to meet my gaze. "Ari, we can work something out. You killed because you were fresh out of hiding and hadn't eaten in a very long time. I'm sure if we all sit down and talk-"

"Talk? If Kakra doesn't kill me, Amam will. If he doesn't, he'll command Gahiji to do it, and if that fails I'll make your humans do it."

"Why do you want to die?"

Ari sits up, wiping at her damp face, and expels a sigh that blows loose strands of hair out of her face. "I'm not meant for this kind of life, revenge and killing isn't what I'm meant to do."

"You don't have to do what they want you to do."

Her eyes meet mine and they are dull, as if she has lost all hope. "We are the last of our kind, Serenity. I do what I'm told or they kill me; those are the rules."

"Screw the rules!"

"I am tired. Tired of hiding and of being hunted. I just want it over."

I open my mouth to speak, but she turns her back on me and hangs her head; a curtain of black hair covers her face.

With a sigh, I push off the floor and take a look at what is in the room. There is a cot welded to the floor inside a devil's trap, a wooden cabinet opposite the bed, and chains hanging on the wall for 'guests'. I pull out a few drawers to see what my options are and find something that could help.

There are syringes and a large bottle of liquid silver; colloidal silver to be exact. I shake the bottle, mixing the liquid with the silver particles that have settled on the bottom before filling all five syringes to the brim; effectively emptying the bottle. I place the protective covers back on the needles before placing them in the pockets of my shorts.

"Ari, I might have a way out of here for us, but I'm going to need a favor."

Eyes full of tears meet mine and it just about shatters my heart. "Name it."

"I need you to change to your original form."

The shifter is off the floor in a blur of motion. "Why?"

"If Sam sees you wearing Sarah's skin, it will haunt him forever **if** he has to put you down."

With a nod, she agrees. I watch in awe as she rids herself of Sarah and becomes Ari, guardian of the unborn and young. Her skin tone changes from creamy white to dark brown, features are rid of the mid-western flare and replaced with Middle Eastern ones. Her nose becomes wider at the end while her eyes turn up at the edges, a dark line appears on her lid and below. Her eye color doesn't change but her hair starts to turn from midnight black to a shiny chestnut brown.

Her voice is throaty and sounds like she's been gargling with honey. "Are you satisfied?"

I open my mouth to answer, but the sound of gunfire erupts above us. I run to the door and start banging on it.

The door flies open and standing before us is Gahiji, fire and rage in his eyes. "Your humans have come."


	11. Not According to Plan

Dean quickly turns the door handle, giving him access to the front of the house. A quick glance down the barrel of his gun reveals an empty hallway and staircase in front of him, sitting room to the right and large study to the left.

Sam closes the door as quietly as he can, cringing when the hinges squeak softly. The brothers exchange a nod before moving swiftly into the sitting room. working together they clear the open area in almost seconds; the study is next on the agenda.

Ian leads the way for Bobby and Garth, who work on clearing the kitchen, bathroom, and a few rarely used rooms. Glances from all five men are exchanged upon meeting in the hallway. It's quietly agreed that all of them will work their way up.

Ian leads the way with Dean at his back, followed closely by Sam and Bobby while Garth takes up the rear. Garth walks with his back to Bobby in case of a surprise.

Rooms are cleared efficiently by the men when something starts to bother Dean. "Something doesn't feel right. Where are they?"

"I don't know. I thought we would have run into one of them by now." Ian's voice is soft in everyone's earpiece.

"Well, we ain't done." Bobby points to the rickety staircase that leads up to the dark and stuffy attic.

Sam nudges his brother with his elbow, gun drawn and pointed down the hall. "Where's Garth?"

Three men with guns whirl around to the empty space behind Bobby. "He was right behind me."

"When did you see him last?" Ian stops whispering and there's an edge to his usually calm voice.

"I didn't actually see him. He tapped my shoulder like we talked about when the room was clear."

"Son of a bitch!" Dean runs his hand through his tousled hair.

"Sam, you’re with me, we'll check the attic. Dean, you and Bobby need to re-check all these rooms and we'll meet you downstairs."

The men part ways and Ian leads Sam up the narrow staircase. There's no point in being stealthy anymore, it didn't appear to work to their advantage. Ian shines a light into the pitch room and almost falls over some boxes. Sam reaches out to steady the taller man. They look in every corner and behind every box to no avail; no shifter and no hostages.

After descending the stairs, the pistol in Sam's hand slaps against his thigh in frustration when there's the unmistakable sound of a fist landing against someone, probably a stomach judging by the grunt that immediately followed.

The hunter reacts quickly, moving behind an open door frame to his right. He crouches down and takes aim with his gun. The sounds of the fight echo down the stairs and above him.

Objects hit the floor and are pushed around, a gun scrapes against wood, and human noises are pulled out after punches are landed. Sam pushes off the floor, ascending the stairs three at a time, plunging himself into utter darkness.

Ian's flashlight had been knocked out of his grip and is shining in the far corner or the attic.

There are two forms fighting hand to hand combat just outside the beacon of light. Some jabs hit home while others miss their mark. Ian is fast and knows how to handle himself, but the shifter is faster, and the detective is starting to grow weary.

Sam aims the gun and just when the shifter is about to throw an uppercut that would snap the detective's neck, the hunter raises his voice. "Hey ugly!"

The shifter turns as Sam snaps on his flashlight. The stolen skin of his older brother glares at him. Sam pulls the trigger three times, sending bullets into the creature's forehead. His head snaps back and he lands with a loud smack on the floor.

Ian falls to his knees before his hands hit the wood and he spits out a mouthful of blood. "Bastard was fast."

"Where'd he come from?" Sam hands the previously knocked down pistol back to the detective.

Ian wipes the back of his hand against his chin, grunting grunts as he stands. "We didn't check the windows. He got me just as you left." The windows were open when they checked the room, but they didn't think to check the roof.

"Maybe that's how the other one got Garth."

Ian reaches up to his earpiece, "Dean, you copy? Bobby?"

Dean's tight and strained voice responds, "get down here."

Sam and Ian quickly descend two flights of stairs to find Bobby and Dean aiming their pistols at Serenity.

Her hands are raised in defense and her eyes are wide with fear.

Dean's hands start to shake with fear of the unknown. _Is she a shifter or is it really her?_

 

* * *

 

The fire in his eyes doesn't deter me, "I know you don't want to do this. You are just doing what your brother wants, right?"

The hazel eyes of Sam Winchester flick to Ari, "what has she told you?"

"Enough. I figured out the rest. This isn't you, you don't want to do this. You just want to live out the rest of your life with her."

Ari clenches his jaw, "I must be loyal to my family."

Ari steps in front of him and there is longing and need on his face, "Gahiji, please, let us leave this place and be together."

"The humans will not have it, my love."

"I might be able to get you out of here if I have your word that you will go into seclusion and never come back out. No more pretending to be who you're not and no killing."

The form of Sam Winchester starts to fade as the original Egyptian features take their place, "we agree."

There are noises above us as part of the rescue team moves to the sitting room, the voices are muffled, but full of emotion. I can hear a copy of my voice answering questions and demands. It's scary how good these creatures are.

"How strong is she?"

Ari turns to face me, her fingers intertwined with her mate, "very, not as strong as Amam, but she's a force to be reckoned with."

"Ok, I'm going to go up and see if I can get close enough. I have several vials full of colloidal silver; it won't kill her instantly, but I have the feeling a slow and painful death is something she deserves."

"What would you like us to do?"

"Stay down here. If they see you now, they'll kill you without hesitation so I need to talk with them first. If you try running, Mithra will take you down without a second thought."

Ari shudders. "I do not wish to be killed tonight."

I reach out a hand to Ari and she places her smaller, darker hand in mine. "I will do what I can." I squeeze her hand softly before I gather up the nerve to go upstairs.

Trying to convince them that I'm me shouldn't be too hard, but my stomach is doing somersaults. I rest my hand on my stomach. "Calm down little one, we'll get through this."

I creep up the stairs, working hard to avoid the creaks that would give me away, the voices growing louder the closer I get. Once I reach the top of the stairs, I glance down the short hall and into the kitchen. I can see the back of my twin and a trail of blood that streaks a path from the back door to the bathroom and anger rolls through me. _Who's hurt? Is someone dead? Is it human or shifter?_ I work to steady my breathing as I flatten myself against the wall, sliding toward the commotion.

At the edge, I peek around the corner and see that there are four people with guns drawn. Dean, Sam, Bobby, and Ian; who looks like he just went ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Settling my gaze on Dean, it’s not hard to miss the pinched look of pain in his features; probably his shoulder since there's no other obvious signs of injury.

 _How am I going to do this?_ If I jump out, they'll probably riddle me with bullets and I don't want that. I rest my head back against the wall, close my eyes, and breathe evenly at the fear crawling up my throat.

I slide my hands around the corner and wave. "Innocent bystander requests access to this meeting."

Almost everyone that has a gun shifts, shuffling their feet along the floor, taking aim at me. Peeking around the corner, I give my best human smile; meeting the gaze of all four men, but holding Dean's.

No one fires their weapon, that's a good sign. I side step toward Kakra, staying out of arm’s reach.

Dean is the first to say anything, voice tight and unsure, "someone better tell me who is who."

"Or what? You're just going to open fire?" Kakra beats me to the punch and I bite my lip to keep from screaming at her.

"You think I'm kidding?"

"How would you like me to prove it, Dean? I'm me!" There's a tone of urgency to her… my voice that sets my teeth on edge.

Sam leans in to Dean, whispering something that I can't quite hear.

Nodding, Dean holsters his gun and pulls out the silver scythe at his side. "I'm going to come up to each of you and conduct a little test. If you try and run, we'll kill you. If you fail, we'll kill you."

Clearing my throat, I lower my hands, "I have a better idea Dean, if you'll let me."

Dean looks over his shoulders at each of the men and, after a moment of eye contact, they each nod their head.

With guns still aimed at my chest, I reach into my pocket and pull out a syringe.

"What is that?" Ian's voice is full of curiosity.

I give the syringe a shake and push the plunger gently, sending a stream of fluid out the tip. "Colloidal silver. It isn't pure silver, so it won't kill instantly, but it will do the trick." I push the needle into my bicep and press the plunger home.

Clear fluid with silver flecks enter my bloodstream and I pray that it won't have any negative effect on my unborn child. Getting a funny taste in my mouth, I spit on the floor. My mother would have slapped me silly for that.

Five sets of eyes are on me and only one of them is full of rage like I have never seen before. I turn to meet the fiery gaze and I can't stop from smiling at the shifter.

A primal scream tears its way out of her throat a second before she flies at me.

It's as if everything else moves in slow motion. I fumble for another syringe while the guys discharge their weapons, sending bullets into the walls and windows behind us as she drags me out the back door and up onto the roof.

With one arm around my neck, the other around my waist, the shifter holds me tight against her. The muscles under her stolen skin quiver with strength and excitement.

My hands are against her arm, pulling against it in hopes that she'll let me live. Fear that she won't begins to eat at me. I look down in time to see everyone burst out the back door. It takes them a moment to find us, and even though they don’t have a clear shot, guns are aimed.

"Let her go!" Dean's voice rips through the night sky.

Mithra runs along the perimeter, sliding to a stop with a growl.

"You can't kill me without killing her and you know it, human!" Kakra walks us closer to the edge, cockiness flows off her because no, they can't kill her without killing me.

What she doesn't know is that I'm armed in my own way.

"Dean, take the shot," I try and hide the shaking of my voice.

"Not a chance."

Her grip tightens around my neck, cutting off all oxygen. Without another thought, I rear my head back and feel her nose crack under the sudden weight. She stumbles back, her hands flying to her face as blood flows freely.

Deep voices call up to me, beckon me to move or jump, that they will shoot her, that they will catch me. I have no doubt that they will, but I want to end this.

Fumbling in the pockets for the weapon, I find nothing. The syringes were broken when she attacked me, leaving me vulnerable.

As she surges towards me, I push my fingers deeper and find that one syringe survived. The cap is tossed to the side and I get my hand to my chest right before her weight slams into me.

There's nothing around us but the wind in my ears and hair. We land with a loud thud that echoes throughout the yard and all I can hear is the high pitched howl of Mithra as she paws at the iron. Darkness tug at my mind, beckoning me to join it as the group surround the shifter and me. Their voices echo and melt together as the pair of us choke on blood.


	12. At Death's Door

Strong hands pull me off of the shifter and into their lap. I groan painfully as broken bones shift against torn skin and muscle. Turning to my twin, she has an empty syringe sticking out of her chest. We watch in near silence as the shifter tries to repair herself, but the colloidal silver is pumping through her veins; stripping her power away, killing her with every beat of her heart.

"You ruined everything!" blood bubbles out of her mouth as she spits the words at me.

"Payback's a bitch." My body mirrors her as blood oozes out our mouths in unison.

Her body continues to betray her. Lungs rattle as they fill with fluid while hands grip at the grass in fear, stolen blue eyes are wide with it. Her mouth opens and closes like a fish as she tries to speak, but is unable to.

Reaching out, I grab her hand, letting her know she's not alone in her time of dying. She looks at me with appreciation and resentment. Kakra is gone moments later and then the panic stricken voices of four large men take over my senses.

Even though my voice is soft, weak, I manage to get their attention, "two shifters in the basement. Don't kill them, just bring them here."

After Dean nods in approval Sam and Ian run into the house.

Bobby crouches down, holding one of my limp hand in his, "girl, what were you thinking?" He suddenly sounds so old.

My eyes flick up to his, "I wanted the bitch dead."

"And you're fine with killing yourself? That sounds familiar."

"If it gets the job done, yes. Besides, I have an idea."

Dean's strained voices pulls my attention away from Bobby, "this better be one hell of an idea or I'm calling Cas."

"Have a little faith." Although it sends pain radiating through my whole body, I raise my arm and rest a hand on his face.

Sam lets out a yell as him and Ian exit the house, a shifter beside each of them.

Gahiji stands tall and proud at my feet while Ari rushes to my side, hands reaching out to my broken body. "You are dying, Serenity," her voice is soft, sad.

I cough wetly, crying out in pain, "Kakra is dead."

"What of Amam?"

I look over her shoulder to Sam and Ian, who points to his own face, "if you're talking about the asshole that I got these from, then he's dead too."

"Then we are finally free of them."

"I need your help, Ari. Can you fix this?"

Her tan hands rest against my stomach and chest. Even through my clothes I can feel the heat of her hands. Gahiji kneels at my feet, wrapping strong hands around my ankles.

"We shall try, but it has been a long time since we have done anything like this."

"I don't like it," Dean's voice is angry against my ear.

"Just let them try. If you don't get what you want out of this, then you can call Cas."

His dark eyes flick to the shifter at my left before nodding curtly.

Both of their heads bow. Ari's long hair brushes against my arm and side as they chant in unison in an ancient language.

إصلاح الجسم، وجعلها كلها. إصلاح الأم وإنقاذ الطفل. إعادتها الى ما كانت.

_"Fix the body, make it whole. Repair the mother and save the child. Return them to how they were."_

Their voices start soft, gaining volume with each word. From their hands comes a warmth that spreads through my body, repairing the damage I sustained in the fall. It's not painful, not like when Cas raised me from the dead; rather it's soothing, oddly relaxing.

Ari's hushed voice is rich in my ear, "you and your child are saved."

Sitting up from Dean’s lap, I hug Ari, "thank you."

She squeezes me gently before I pull back, looking into her chocolate brown eyes, "a promise is a promise."

Dean helps me off the hard ground, "wait a minute, what promise?"

"They're nothing like Amam and Kakra. They don't want to kill for the thrill of it or take over anyone's lives. They just want to live."

Wrapping long fingers around my upper arm, he drags me away from the group. His voice is stern as he glares at me, "if you think we are going to let them walk away, you've lost your damn mind."

"Dean, please just listen to me."

"No, Serenity, they're not getting away with what they've done."

"They haven't done anything-"

Dean points at Ari with a shaking hand, "are you forgetting that while wearing your face, she killed three people?"

I glance at the shifter in question as Gahiji wraps her in his long arms, holding her against his chest. "I remember what she did, Dean, but she made a mistake and she knows that. They have sworn to me that they will not harm any living human and they will go into seclusion."

Dean scoffs as his hands dive through his hair, "and you believe them, of course."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That you're gullible, Serenity. They're monsters, it's in their DNA to kill humans."

Anger boils my blood and my hands ball into fists at my sides, "look at them. Who is dead? Kakra and Amam. _They_ were the ring leaders, _they_ were the ones that wanted to take over our lives and kill everyone that had harmed them in the past. Ari and Gahiji… they just want to be left alone!"

"It's not happening."

The anger overflows and my fist flies through the air, connecting with his chin, throwing him off balance and onto the ground below, "this isn't your call to make."

I turn on my heel and march toward the two shifters, hand held out for Ari to take. I glare hard at Ian, Bobby, and Sam; laying down a challenge, "you go after them, you'll have to go through me first."

Without another word, the shifters follow me to the line where Mithra is waiting with bared teeth. I reach out to her, allowing her to smell me, to know that I am human, "I know it goes against what you want to do, but you need to let them go. They have done nothing to harm me and everything to heal me, understand?"

Mithra growls deep in her chest as her large eyes move from one shifter to another, finally resting on my face.

My fingers work through her thick fur, down the side of her face, and into her neck, "Mithra please?"

Her head grows heavy against me as she nods, the growl and grimace is gone before she turns away.

Ari wraps her arms around me in a tight embrace, “thank you."

"I mean it, if we find out that you lied, we will hunt you down."

There's a twinkle in her eye as she nods, as a tear escapes down her cheek. Gahiji reaches for her hand and they are about to turn away when two shots ring out in the night.

Gahiji falls to his knees, blood spilling out of a bullet wound at his neck and he's dead before he collapses to the ground. Ari stumbles and falls against me, blood flowing from a matching wound.

I catch her in my arms and watch as all life drains from her body, her eyes being the last thing to fade.

I can't stop the tears as they cascade down my face. They are quickly followed by anger which shakes me to my core.

I look up, half expecting to see Dean holding a smoking gun, but I'm proven wrong. Garth had stumbled out of the house and pulled the trigger. There is blood dripping down the side of his face and he's limping more than he should be; probably a sprained knee and ankle.

I reach up with a blood and dirt caked hand to close the empty eyes staring into the dark night sky.

Ian reaches Garth first and takes his gun away, asking if he's ok.

Garth is about to answer when I get there, shoving my hands against his chest, "what the hell was that?!"

His eyes are wide with pain and confusion as Bobby, Dean, and Sam run up to us.

"Th- they were shifters."

"They were leaving!"

"I'm s- s- sorry."

"It's ok, Garth, you didn't know," Bobby places his hand on the lanky man's shoulder and gives a gentle squeeze. "Let's get you in and cleaned up, ok?"

Bobby leads Garth into the house while Ian and Sam walk around the front to the car. Sam wants to get Sarah while Ian just wants to take a shower and get his wounds tended to.

Dean stands behind me and I can feel the anger radiating off him.

I stare at my house where a dead shifter is lying in my attic, "what do you want, Dean?"

"I want to know why."

I spin on my heel and glare at him, letting him feel all the anger I have, "why, what?"

"Why are you upset over a couple of dead shifters? Why did you want to let them go?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

I grab his hand and pull him to the two shifters lying in a pool of their own blood. "She saved us Dean."

His eyes move from each shifter to my own before he shrugs. "So? It's nothing Cas couldn't have done."

I lick and bite my lips in pure frustration, "not all monsters are bad. You don't see Mithra trying to rip my... our throats out do you?"

"Not yet."

As if I couldn't get any angrier at him. I turn away from him and laugh to keep from screaming and possibly letting my fist fly again. The baby that we made, I swear it twitches deep within and I swallow hard at the anger rising in my throat. I blow out a breath before turning to face him again and his features soften immediately.

"She saved us," my hands are pressed against my stomach.

"You said that already."

Men can be so dense sometimes. I reach out for his hand, stepping closer as I do and place it where mine had been, "Us, Dean. I'm pregnant."

His face is unreadable at this point and I'm not sure what I should do. Should I say it again or just let him process the information? It takes several tries before he finds his voice. "What do you mean?"

“You remember the night you left for New York?"

"We can't have kids right now, not with the life we're in."

My heart drops into my stomach, "I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Dean, but it's a little late for that."

"I mean, how do you even know?"

"She told me."

"So you're taking the word of a shifter."

"Yes... no…"

"What is it, yes or no?"

"Both! I felt it move earlier."

"What do you mean you felt it move? How do you know she wasn't lying? She would have said anything to get on your good side," he motions to the bodies.

"She wasn't lying Dean."

"Yeah, right. Look, you believe what you want to, but I got four bodies that need to be burned." Without another word he turns away and walks toward the house.

When he shouts out to Bobby and Garth for help, that's when I start to cry. I sit with my back against a tree and feel, more than see, Mithra settle down next to me, her nose on my lap as she wiggles her massive paws under my shaking legs. I lose track of time as we sit there, my tears soaking into her fur as the three men drag the bodies of the shifters away.

A large fire is started and bodies are burned while I cry even harder at the loss of two almost innocent creatures. Dirt, blood, and death linger in the air as I mourn them, falling asleep in the fur of my hell beast.

* * *

 

District Attorney Hawthorne clears her throat before addressing Judge Albright, "your honor, we are dropping all charges brought against the defendant."

Judge Albright lifts her eyes from the newly presented folder on her desk and there's slight surprise written on her features, "you're dropping the charges?"

"Yes, your honor," her voice is tight, evident that she does not believe the lies that Detective McShane provided.

The judge turns her gaze to the three people behind the table. "Is this true Detective? Did you catch the person that committed these crimes?"

"We have, your honor."

"Might we be seeing this mystery person?"

"I'm afraid you will not. I gave chase once the perpetrator was located. There was a car accident that resulted in the vehicle catching on fire. I tried removing her from the vehicle, but I didn't make it in time."

"I see," the judge adjusts her glasses as she reads over the newly provided information.

Garth fidgets nervously with his pen as the silence stretches. The sounds of the few people in the room seem to echo off the walls and it's doing nothing to calm my nerves.

* * *

 

_After the bodies were burned and Ian was cleaned up, my phone rang with the promise that this would all go away. The next day, he would submitted a detailed report of what happened. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you Ren – "_

_"Don't worry about it."_

_"I'm worried about you."_

_I haven't told anyone else about the baby, or the fact that Dean pulled away from me because of it; leaving town after the bodies were burned._

_I choke back a sob as my fingers lace through Mithra's fur, "I'll be fine Ian, you know me."_

_"That's what I'm worried about."_

* * *

 

Papers rustle as the folder is closed and her glasses are pulled off her nose, "Miss Hatfield, all charges previously filed against you are considered dropped. Your monitoring bracelet will be removed and work restrictions have been lifted. Your bail will also be returned to you within a week." The gavel slams against its base, echoing in the small room.

"Thank you your honor," turning, I hug everyone behind me; Ian, Garth, Bobby, Sam, and Sarah.

* * *

 

After filling out the necessary paperwork and getting the bracelet removed, we head home where it is decided that we will celebrate with steaks on the grill, corn on the cob, and mashed cauliflower. The guys all break open a long neck while Sarah and I are content with our lemonades.

Sarah and I are sitting on the swinging chair at the front of the house, her arm around my shoulders and my head turned away.

"He'll be back."

I sniff softly and wipe at my face with the palm of my hand, "yeah, you keep saying that."

She presses her lips against the back of my head, "I'm sorry, Serenity."

"You did nothing wrong, what do you have to be sorry about?"

"You cared for her, Ari, and she was killed."

"I'm not mad at Garth- "

"I know you're not."

"He didn't know."

"No, he didn't."

We sit in silence, watching the sunset. Purples, reds, and pinks spread across the sky and I notice that Mithra is pacing along the border to our right.

Sarah and I wave at her as she howls, before starting her nightly routine of watching the borders for any danger.

Before heading inside, Sarah takes my empty cup, Sam having called her name just moments ago. They are going to play a game of cards, the five of them.

Just as I stand, the Impala pulls up the drive, her headlights bright in the ever fading light. I swallow hard at the lump in my throat and wrap my arms around myself. Once the engine cuts, I tell myself I can't do this and I turn toward the open door.

"Ren, wait!" Dean's husky voice reaches my ears after the driver's door closes.

I force myself to turn and face him, walking down the steps to stand in front of him, "what?"

"Sammy called me, said the judge cleared you of all charges." Not knowing what to do with his hands, he shoves them into the pockets of his well-worn blue jeans.

"Yeah, well, you'd know that if you'd have been here."

"Come on, Ren."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Dean. You left town. You ran away. You. Left. ME!"

"I know I did and I'm sorry – "

"You're sorry? I tell you something that will change our lives forever, you leave because of it, and you're sorry?"

"Yes."

"You really think this will all suddenly be ok because you're sorry?" There’s no stopping the tears as they spill.

He inclines his head and reaches out to me, "Ren – "

"NO! You don't get to come back, apologize, and think everything will be ok!"

He continues to reach for me, "please listen – "

I slap at his hands before shoving him in the chest, throwing him off balance, "no, you listen! You think it was easy for me to tell you that? Knowing the life we live and the life we will continue to live, you think I want to bring a child into it? I'm not ready for this, but even more, I wasn't prepared for you running away from me... from this!"

Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out a sonogram. Two days after he left, I hooked up the ultrasound machine and conducted a self-exam. I was currently six weeks pregnant and the baby’s heart was fast like a hummingbird's wings.

Dean just shakes his head, "I – I don't know what I'm looking at. It looks like static."

I all but tear the picture out of his grip, holding my finger where the sac is, "that blob is your baby and that there is the heartbeat, Dean."

Recognition hits him like a ton of bricks, "I… I'm sorry."

Exhaustion washes over me like waves crashing on the shore. I scrub my hands over my face and up through my hair, "yeah, I know you are."

"Not just about leaving, but about the shif- Ari and Gahiji, too."

"I don't want to talk about it."

Handing the sonogram to me, he blows out a harsh breath, "what do you want me to do?"

I choke back a sob when I look up into his face. The sadness and sincerity is so raw that it tears at me.

I lunge at him, wind my arms around his neck, and give him a bruising kiss.

With long arms around my waist, he hold me tight against him as we kiss. Every ounce of me is in love with this man and I feel it down to my toes. We pull apart from each other only because it's become hard to breathe.

His eyes are the color of a pond after a rainstorm and I forget momentarily how to think, "I want you to come home."

He smiles lopsided and kisses the tip of my nose, "that I can do." On the way back to the house, he chuckles.

"What?"

"I wonder what our kid'll be like."

"Stubborn as a mule, like his father."

"A boy, huh?"

I can’t help but smile at the memory of a family of five with an older boy sporting strawberry blonde hair and a smattering of freckles on his face, "yeah, I think it's a boy."


End file.
